Mafia Monsters
by kensi54382
Summary: Years ago, Tony went undercover in the mafia family of Baltimore. He left on what he thought were good terms, claiming that he was leaving the country. His alias was gone, but somehow, Tony has been tracked down. The mafia is after him, though there seems to be no reason for it, and Tony is in trouble. How is he going to get out of this one? Who will help him? SET IN SEASON 4.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Set in season four, around the time Gibbs returned from Mexico.**

 **Tony is not aware that Gibbs is back since he has been held hostage for four days. Gibbs has returned after finding out that Tony is missing and that no-one is really putting in much effort to help the team find him. In this story, Gibbs comes back to work and the relationship he has with Tony, while strained by the previous months of zero contact, gets stronger as Gibbs protects his senior field agent from further harm.**

 **Tony still calls Gibbs his boss, mainly out of habit, not because he knows Gibbs has come back to NCIS.**

* * *

Tony was exhausted and terrified. He had been laying in the hole in the ground for two full days already, not that he was aware of the amount of time he had spent in the dark ground. He could hear the people that were digging him out, but he couldn't hear the one voice he was desperate to hear. He needed Gibbs there, he needed the calm attitude that his boss exuded all the time. He needed the reassurance that he was going to be fine. But, unfortunately, as far as he knew, Gibbs was still in Mexico.

"Tony!"

Sudden hope filled Tony at the sound of his boss' voice. He couldn't yell anymore, but he was relieved to hear him. He hoped he wasn't just imagining Gibbs being there.

"Tony! We're coming!"

A moment later, bright sunlight hit Tony's face. He squeezed his eyes shut as the last of the dirt was taken off him.

"Tony, you're alright now. You're safe."

Tony opened his eyes a crack, surprised at how close the soft voice was. He turned his head to the side and found Gibbs right next to him. Confused, Tony tried to move his arm, which was already broken, and found that he was no longer restricted.

"Tony, stop moving," said Gibbs as he put an arm underneath Tony's back. "I'm going to lift you up, but you have to stay still. We don't know what injuries you have, okay?"

Tony nodded. His throat was dry and painful, and he wasn't interested in talking. He brought his arm back to his body and let Gibbs lift him into a seated position. They were still in the hole, but now that he wasn't alone, Tony was able to relax and let himself be taken care of. He could feel his boss' arm still around him, supporting his weight, and snuggled into Gibbs' body. He felt safe in that position. He put his head back against Gibbs' chest, his eyes sliding shut for a moment before Gibbs forced him to wake up. The steady beat of Gibbs' heart was relaxing, at least until someone else jumped into the hole with them.

"His name is Tony," said Gibbs quietly. "He's been missing for four days, the last two of which were spent in this hole. He lost consciousness a few times over the last two days, and he almost passed out again a minute ago."

"Tony," said the medic that had joined them, "I'm Jeff. I need you to stay awake for me. Can you do that?"

Tony shook his head, still resting against Gibbs. He could feel his fear melting away the longer he stayed propped against the Marine he looked up to.

"Can you try?"

"No," whispered Tony sleepily.

"You will stay awake, DiNozzo," said Gibbs gently.

"Yes, boss." Tony buried himself deeper into Gibbs' protective embrace. He didn't care what people thought right then, he just wanted to be closer to the person that had always had his six, had always been there for him, no matter what happened between them.

"Does he have any allergies?" the medic asked.

"No allergies. Morphine makes him loopy sometimes, depending on how he is. The worse his condition, the more likely he is to be calm with morphine. He's got scarring on both lungs- nothing too severe, but it's enough that he is seeing his doctor twice a year for check-ups from now on."

"What is the scarring from?"

"He had the pneumonic plague about a year and a half ago."

"Does he have any other problems because of that?"

"No. Tony's a healthy person normally."

The medic nodded. "Tony, I need to examine you. Can you tell me if you have any injuries?"

"My arm is broken." Tony held his left arm out to Jeff.

Jeff quickly checked over Tony's arm. It was definitely broken, and must have been sore. It was swollen closer to the wrist.

"Any other injuries?"

"I don't know." Tony was getting tired again. He tried to move closer to Gibbs, but there was nowhere to go. He was as close as he could get.

"It's alright, Tony," Gibbs said softly. He tightened his hold on Tony and wrapped his free arm around Tony's body to try and put some warmth into the younger man who was shivering against him. "Relax, I'm not leaving."

"You already did," said Tony, and Gibbs was sure he could hear hurt in the younger man's voice.

"I know, but I won't leave you again. I promise."

Tony nodded. He believed Gibbs, he always believed Gibbs.

"Alright, Tony, I'm going to check you now," Jeff said. "I'm going to start by listening to your heart and lungs. Try to stay still for me."

Tony shivered more as Jeff opened up Tony's dirty shirt and placed a stethoscope on his chest. He couldn't help squirming as the cold instrument moved around his body.

"Okay, I'm done, Tony. I'm done." Jeff put his stethoscope down and grabbed a blood pressure cuff. "Try to relax, Tony."

Tony tried, but he was getting scared again. He didn't want anyone near him except Gibbs. He wanted to close his eyes and pretend that this wasn't happening to him. As soon as the cuff tightened around his arm, Tony jerked away.

"Tony! What's wrong?" Gibbs pulled his friend back to him as Jeff took the cuff off. "It's alright, it's okay."

"I'm sorry," mumbled Tony. Tears were spilling from his eyes and he turned his head so that he was crying into Gibbs' t-shirt. He was clinging to his boss' top tightly without even realising it.

"There's no need to apologise, Tony. Tell me what the problem is."

"There's no problem."

"Don't lie to me. You got scared when the medic put the blood pressure cuff on. Why?"

Tony buried his face deeper into Gibbs' chest. "They tied me up with straps," he whispered.

Gibbs nodded in understanding. He looked at Jeff. "Can you hold off on checking his blood pressure for now?"

"Yes. I'll leave it up to the doctors."

"Can we request a doctor?"

"Yes. Are they at Bethesda, because that's the closest hospital."

"They are at Bethesda. The doctor's name is Brad Pitt. I'm not kidding."

"Alright. I'll get my partner to call through and ask for Dr Pitt. I'd like to get Tony out of this hole and into the ambulance. Do you think you could convince him to let us help him?"

Gibbs looked at Tony, who was still clinging desperately to his top. "I think it may be easier to just carry him to the ambulance."

"Alright. Do you want help with that?"

"I'll be alright. This isn't the first time I've carried a grown man around." Gibbs stood, bringing Tony with him. "Tony, it's time to go. I'm going to carry you now."

Tony nodded, but didn't let go. He allowed Gibbs to pick him up, and then he buried his face into Gibbs again.


	2. Chapter 2

Tony was laying on the bed in the back of the ambulance, but he was still clinging to Gibbs tightly. He was terrified beyond belief, despite knowing that he was safe. He knew that Gibbs wouldn't let anyone do anything now that he was there, but he was still afraid that they would come back to take him again.

"Tony, buddy, take a deep breath," Gibbs said encouragingly. While he never acted fatherly at work, when it came to Tony, he always had the urge to protect and care for him.

"Don't let them hurt me again," Tony whimpered.

"Nobody will hurt you, Tony. I won't let them. Who are they?"

"I can't... they'll hurt me. And then they'll hurt you."

"Tony, nobody is going to hurt me. They'll be dead before they lay a hand on me," snorted Gibbs. "And if anyone comes near you, I'll murder them."

Tony smiled weakly. "I'm scared."

"I know. Your grip on my hand is pretty strong. Who are you scared of?"

"No..."

Gibbs nodded. They were pulling into the hospital. "Alright, bud, you don't have to tell me."

Tony just nodded. He was still holding Gibbs' hand a minute later when he was wheeled into the ER.

"Tony," said Brad brightly. "Welcome to my home. How have you been?"

Tony tried to grin, but he couldn't muster enough strength for it. He wanted to just sleep.

"Jokes?" Gibbs questioned as Brad led them into a trauma cubicle.

"I noticed when Tony was sick that he used jokes to distract himself from the pain and sick feelings. I've been using jokes as a way to help him feel comfortable." Brad looked at Tony for a second. "What happened to him?"

"He was held hostage for four days. The last two were spent in a hole in the ground."

Brad's eyes widened in shock. "Excuse me?"

"He won't tell me anything other than they had him tied up with straps. He freaked out when the medic tried to wrap the blood pressure cuff around his arm at the scene."

"That would explain why there's no recorded blood pressure on here." He indicated the notes from the medics. "Let me try and calm him down before you step out."

"Good luck with that." Gibbs turned to Tony. "Hey, Tony, I'm going to the waiting room, alright?"

"No!"

"Why not? You're with Brad. I know you trust him."

"Don't leave me!" Tony looked around the room, his eyes flashing with fear.

"Tony, relax," Brad soothed. "Gibbs isn't leaving you."

"That's what he said last time," Tony said as tears started to fall from his eyes.

"What's he talking about?"

Gibbs sighed. "I left NCIS a few months ago and moved to Mexico. I guess Tony took it pretty hard."

"Well, even I know he looks up to you, sees you as a father figure, Gibbs. That much was obvious when he was sick."

"I thought we parted on good terms. I should have known better. Tony never lets anyone see when he's hurting."

Brad nodded. "Tony, I need Gibbs to leave the room, okay? He can come back after I check you out and do some tests."

"He'll leave," whispered Tony.

"Not if he knows what's good for him." Brad gave Tony a smile. "I promise that if he leaves, I will make him regret it. You need him here, and he will be here."

"I don't want him to leave me again," Tony admitted finally.

"I promise not to leave," said Gibbs. "Let Brad do his job, then I'll come back in." Gibbs turned to the doctor. "Call me if he gets too distressed."

"Of course." Brad waited until Gibbs was gone, followed by the medics and several nurses. "Tony, I noticed that your left wrist is quite swollen. How did that happen?" Brad picked up Tony's left arm gently when Tony whimpered in pain.

"They did it," said Tony. "They pulled my arm until it snapped. I heard the bone break."

"Okay. Let's get some x-rays done on it. Are we going to need to get x-rays anywhere else?"

"I don't know. I want my dad," Tony said softly.

Brad frowned. He knew Tony didn't have a relationship with his father. "I'll call him later. Do you have a number for him?"

"Who?"

"Your dad."

"I want Gibbs, not my dad."

"You just said you wanted your dad, Tony."

"Yeah. Gibbs."

Brad nodded. He understood now- Tony had more of a father/son relationship with Gibbs, so no wonder he wanted the older man. "Alright. After we check you out, I'll get Gibbs back in here."

Tony nodded. "I'm scared," he told the doctor.

"I know you are, Tony. I promise that everything will be alright." Brad began to check Tony. He was doing his job quickly and efficiently until it came to checking Tony's blood pressure.

"Don't!" Tony shouted suddenly. He tried to move away from Brad, but it was clear that Brad wasn't the one he was seeing at that moment.

"Tony, relax. You're safe," said Brad as he stepped closer. "You're in the hospital."

"Don't touch me." Tony's voice had dropped to a small whimper, but he still looked like he was seeing ghosts.

"I'm not going to touch you. I just need you to come back to me, alright?" He took another step closer.

Tony shut his eyes tightly. He was shaking and his heart rate had skyrocketed.

"Emma, go and get Gibbs. Bring him in here," said Brad. Then he went back to Tony. "Tony, hey, whoever is hurting you, they aren't there. You're in the hospital, with me, and Emma, and Gibbs. You can relax now. You are safe."

Tony finally opened his eyes, still shaking. He was looking at Brad now, and recognition lit up his eyes. "Brad, don't let them near me."

"Nobody is coming near you, Tony. Gibbs will shoot them before they can get in here. And if they happen to slip past, I'll stab them with a needle. We aren't going to let anybody hurt you."

Tony slowly nodded as the door opened and Gibbs came in with Emma. In a flash, Gibbs was at Tony's side, carefully rubbing soothing circles into his back. Tony grabbed Gibbs' hand and held it tightly, letting the calming effect Gibbs provided help him relax.

"Alright. Tony, I need to check your blood pressure. There is no way of changing that fact. Can you let me do that?"

Tony shook his head.

"Please?" Brad asked.

"No." It was a whisper, but it conveyed Tony's fears clearly.

"Let me try something," said Gibbs. "Tony, move over a bit."

Tony moved across the bed, closer to Brad. He felt a little better when Gibbs sat next to him.

"Tony, Brad is going to need to check your blood pressure at some point. Wouldn't you rather that be done now?"

Tony shook his head again.

"Okay." Gibbs looked at Brad. "Check my blood pressure first."

"Why?" asked Brad, but it was Emma that answered.

"If Tony sees Agent Gibbs get checked the same way that you want to check him, it will help Tony feel safer and more comfortable. It'll show him that you aren't going to hurt him, and it will allow Tony to see that it isn't something to scare him." Emma smiled at Tony. She always liked him, right from the moment she met him.

"Okay." Brad shrugged. "Gibbs, can you take off your jacket for me?"

Gibbs took his jacket off and held his arm out to Brad. He stayed in a relaxed position next to Tony as Brad wrapped the cuff around his arm and pumped air into it. In less than a minute, the test was over and the cuff was off Gibbs' arm.

"See, Tony? It doesn't hurt, and Brad is a very gentle person. There's nothing for you to be scared of," Gibbs said to Tony. "I'll be right here with you."

Finally, Tony nodded. He could feel Gibbs' arm around his shoulders and put his head down onto Gibbs' shoulder. He held his right arm out to Brad.

"Thank you, Tony," said Brad softly. He could still see fear in Tony's eyes. "I'm going to wrap the cuff around your arm, just like I did for Gibbs." Brad quickly wrapped the leather cuff around Tony's arm and pumped air in, then took the cuff off. "Done. We'll get your x-rays done, then you can get some sleep."


	3. Chapter 3

Tony had just been admitted to the hospital. His x-rays were done, and he was alone now. Gibbs was outside the room, talking to Brad, so Tony looked around him. Brad had inserted an IV to combat the dehydration his body was suffering from. He was on a heart monitor, and Brad had finally talked him into having his blood pressure monitored constantly. His pulse was being monitored too. Then there were the injuries. His left wrist and arm were both broken, and Brad had put a cast on to make sure that Tony healed properly. Several of his ribs were bruised and broken, resulting in a bandage around his torso that helped to restrict movement so his ribs wouldn't cause internal damage. He had bruising on both kidneys and his liver. Even his brain was bruised. He had a minor concussion that was partially healed, and his lungs were slightly worse for wear, though that would heal quickly.

"Tony, how are you doing right now?" Brad asked, pulling Tony from his thoughts.

"I want to go home, Brad. Please?" Tony asked. He was still scared.

"I know you want to go home, but not until you have healed. I don't want you back here in a day or two with complications. Would you feel better if Gibbs stayed with you tonight?"

Tony nodded.

"Alright. Gibbs will stay overnight with you. And if he doesn't, I will deal with him." Brad moved out of the way so that Gibbs could sit with Tony. "I'll be back in an hour, but you know how to call if you need me."

Tony waited until Brad closed the door, then turned on Gibbs. "Why haven't you answered my calls or texts? Did I upset you?" he asked quietly.

"No. Tony, I didn't answer because I knew what you wanted, and I wasn't planning on coming back to DC. I couldn't tell you that without hurting you."

"But you did hurt me. I see you as not only my boss, but someone I can trust, someone I can talk to when things go wrong. But you weren't here when I needed you the most. You weren't here when I ended up in hospital because I couldn't get enough air into my lungs. You weren't here when Ziva and I had a huge argument. You weren't here when Jenny gave me an assignment I didn't want. You. Weren't. Here." Tears were freely flowing down Tony's face. "I needed you, I needed your advice, but you weren't here for me. You promised me that you would always be here if I needed you."

"I'm sorry, Tony. If I had known what you were going through, I wouldn't have left like I did. I really am sorry."

"Where were you?"

"Somewhere that I shouldn't have been. Truly, I am sorry. It won't happen again. I'm not leaving you anymore."

While it would have sounded strange to anyone that didn't know the relationship between the two men, Tony couldn't care less. He needed Gibbs to be there for him, needed the man's support, because he didn't have anyone else. Gibbs had always been a father figure that Tony needed, and he was the one that Tony looked to whenever he needed help.

"Tony, I'm here now. I should have been here months ago, but I'm here now." Gibbs moved closer to Tony and took his right hand in his own hand. "I promise that I am here now, and I'm not going anywhere."

Tony tightened his grip on his boss' hand as he continued to sob. He wanted to believe Gibbs, but he couldn't right then, not with everything that was going through his head.

"Tony? Bud? I need you to look at me."

"Why?"

"Because I want you to look at me, please."

Tony sniffled before finally looking up at Gibbs. "I don't want to be alone again."

"You aren't alone, Tony. Even if I'm not here, you aren't alone. You have the team behind you, you have your neighbour that loves you dearly. Sometimes, I think she wants you to be here son."

"I don't want any of them, though. It's you that I want. It's you that always looks out for me, Gibbs. It's you that I like being around, that I hate to disappoint."

"I know that Tony. Really, I do. And I understand that me leaving made things difficult for you. I understand that me leaving put you in a position you didn't want."

"It was supposed to be temporary."

"So I have been told. It seems that Jenny knew I would eventually come back. Look, I know I screwed up and ruined our friendship. I will find a way to fix that. But, right now, my priority is finding the people that did this to you so that they can pay."

"You aren't an agent, Gibbs. You can't do that."

"Actually, I can." Gibbs put his hand into his pocket and pulled out a badge and ID card. He handed them to Tony. "Jen reinstated me the day you went missing so I could help find you."

Tony stared at the ID card with wide eyes. In the back of his mind, he knew that it made sense- Gibbs wouldn't have been at the scene if he wasn't working again. But he couldn't comprehend it. What he had hoped for every day of the last few months had happened. He had his boss back, and he could go back to being the senior field agent. He held on tightly, the badge and ID both clutched in his right hand.

"You came back," he whispered. "Why?"

"For you. Ziva called me and told me that you were being threatened by an unknown person. She said that I had to get back to NCIS before you decided you didn't need me anymore. By the time I got to DC, it was all over the news that a federal agent had been abducted. I think that Ziva and McGee were both ready to kill me when I got to the bull pen. Both were so angry with me for leaving you without so much as a proper goodbye. And then Abby came to McGee with test results, and she practically knocked me down in anger. She was protecting you from me."

"You came back for me?"

"Of course I did. Why else would I come back, Tony? I don't have anything in DC to keep me here- except you."

"But you left me."

"A mistake. One that I will never make again."

Tony slowly nodded. He had always understood why Gibbs left, but it didn't mean that it hurt any less. His 'dad' had left him, and it was hard to find his groove without Gibbs. "I don't want you to go."

"Not even to kill the people that did this to you?"

"No. Don't leave."

"Alright. I'm staying." Gibbs gently pried his ID and badge from Tony's hand and put them away. "I promise I'm staying here with you."

Tony stared at Gibbs for a long moment before finally deciding that Gibbs was telling the truth. He was falling asleep, but he was scared that Gibbs would disappear the minute he closed his eyes, so he forced himself to stay awake.

"Tony, are you being stubborn? Get some sleep. I'm not leaving."

Tony shook his head. "You will go if I'm not looking."

"No, I won't." Gibbs picked up Tony's hand again. "You can hold onto me while you sleep, if it helps."

Tony finally nodded. He closed his eyes, tightening his grip on Gibbs' hand as he did so. He was asleep in seconds.


	4. Chapter 4

Tony was still asleep when the door slammed open. Startled, he woke and screamed. Gibbs was standing in front of the bed, but he was outnumbered by the people trying to push past him to Tony. Tony fumbled with the control and finally got it into his hand. He pushed the emergency button just as a nurse came running in with security officers.

"What the hell is going on in here?" shouted the nurse over the noise in the room. "Get all of them out of here!"

Security grabbed two of the men that Gibbs was trying to keep away from Tony, and Gibbs dragged the third one out of the room. The nurse was at Tony's side in an instant, trying to calm him down.

"I want Gibbs," Tony finally managed to say.

"I know, Tony, it's okay. Agent Gibbs will be back in a moment," said the nurse as she tried to comfort her patient. "I need you to relax for me."

Tony shook his head. "I can't... I want my boss... I want my dad."

The nurse nodded, but she was unsure of what to do about Tony's request to see his father. She didn't even have a contact number for him.

"Randi, what happened?"

"Dr Pitt, perfect timing. I need something to calm Tony down before he makes his injuries worse."

"I'll stay with him. Go and get Gibbs back in here. He works better than any medication for Tony." Brad took a seat on the bed. "Tony, calm down, alright? You're okay. Nobody is going to hurt you, I swear. Just relax."

The soothing tone of voice from Brad helped Tony calm down enough to see that he was in the hospital still. He looked at Brad as his eyes filled with tears.

"I want my dad," he whispered.

"Gibbs is on the way back. Randi went to get him for you." Brad was glad that he now understood what Tony meant by the word father or the word dad.

"Promise that it is safe here? I don't want to go back there."

"Back where? Tony, tell us where you were," said Gibbs gently as he came in with the nurse.

"No! I don't want to."

"Why, buddy?"

"I just don't want to."

Gibbs nodded. He swapped places with Brad and pulled Tony into a gentle hug.

"I know that it was scary, Tony. I know. But you have to talk to me, tell me what happened so I can deal with it."

"They tried to do it again, Gibbs."

"Who's they? What did they try again?"

"Them. The people that were just here. Did you arrest them?"

"Security is detaining them until McGee and Ziva get here."

"They'll get away," Tony said miserably.

"No they won't. Ziva is so pissed that someone hurt you, she's ready to kill. The minute they do something that even remotely resembles getting away or hurting you again, they'll be on one of Ducky's tables."

"You cannot leave me."

"I won't." Gibbs helped Tony back into a comfortable position in bed and sat with him. He put an arm around the younger man and gave him a careful hug. "You will be perfectly fine, I promise."

"I want this to be a nightmare." Tony rested his head on Gibbs' shoulder, his eyes closing as he calmed down.

"Get some rest, Tony, I'm here." Gibbs let Tony rest on him until the younger man was fast asleep, then he gently placed him on the bed properly, with the pillows underneath his head.

* * *

It wasn't long before Tony was awake once again. This time, he was calmer and happier, though he still wanted Gibbs to stay with him.

"Hey, Tony. Are you feeling better?" Gibbs asked as he put down the file he was reading.

"How did you know where to find me?" Tony asked.

"I don't think you want to know that, bud."

"Why?" Tony's eyes filled with fear. "Why don't I want to know?"

"You aren't going to like it."

"Please tell me. It can't be worse that what they did to me."

Gibbs hesitated for a moment. "They put a camera inside the hole the buried you in," he finally said.

Tony nodded. "I figured that they did. I could sort of see it."

"You knew it was there?"

"I tried to tell whoever was watching where I was, but I couldn't move."

"That's alright. You don't need to tell us. Abby figured it out pretty quickly, we just had to find the spot."

"Did you come back to stay?"

"Yes. I can't let you get hurt, Tony. Of everyone on the team, you are my favourite, and you always will be. I hate seeing you get hurt."

Tony managed a small smile. "Don't go away again. Ever."

Gibbs nodded, grinning. "I will stay with you, Tony, for as long as I can."

Tony went to say something else, but Gibbs' phone rang. He stepped into the hallway, leaving the door open for Tony to hear him, and answered.

"Gibbs."

"Boss, we just got them to interrogation. Two asked for lawyers already, and Ziva is in with the third one. What do you want us to do?" asked McGee.

"Get them to talk. Tony is too scared to tell me anything right now, and I want answers. I don't care how you do it, Tim, just get answers!"

"On it, boss."

Gibbs closed his phone and returned to Tony.

"Who was it?" Tony asked.

"McGee. They're interrogating those three men as we speak."

"You won't get anything."

"We can try, Tony."

"You need a statement from me."

"Only if you want to talk. I won't push you."

"Do you mean it?"

"Of course I do."

Tony smiled. "Thank you, Gibbs."

* * *

It didn't take long for the third suspect to cave. He was terrified of Ziva, even though she hadn't done anything other than calmly ask him questions.

"Alright!" he exclaimed. "I helped kidnap that fed. I didn't want to do it, I swear, but I had no choice. I didn't want to die!"

"So tell me what happened, Matthew," said Ziva. "Maybe we can get you a deal."

"We were only supposed to steal his evidence. But he put up a fight, and he saw our faces, so Benny told us we had to grab him. We shoved him into the back of the car and sped off to this abandoned warehouse in Chevy Chase. Benny and John tied him to a chair and started beating him up. I told them that we should stop and get the hell out of dodge before cops arrived, but they called me a wimp and said that I should go keep a lookout. I went, but I left the door slightly open to see what they were doing."

"And what were they doing?"

"They were..."


	5. Chapter 5

"What were they doing, Matthew?" Ziva asked.

"They were hitting him. And they stripped his lower half."

"What happened after that?" Ziva felt sick to her stomach, knowing that something unpleasant was coming. She could tell that McGee was feeling the same, though she couldn't see him.

"They... I swear I didn't have a part in this!"

"I know you didn't. Just tell me what 'this' is."

"They started off by just touching him, but then they got rough. After a while, I stopped looking because I felt sick. I wanted to go in there and make them leave him alone, but I was scared. After I stopped looking, I heard a scream come from the fed, and when I peeked, I saw something horrid."

"Tell me what you saw."

"They were... they were raping him," Matthew whispered as tears dropped down his cheeks. "I screamed at them to stop, but they ignored me. The fed, he was crying and screaming. He was begging them to stop hurting him, but they didn't listen."

"Why didn't you call the police?"

"Because I didn't have a phone, and there wasn't anything around the area that I could get to. They never left me alone after that, especially when they decided that they didn't want to play with him anymore."

"When did they decide that?"

"After two days. They told me to shove him in the trunk of a car, then we drove off to a construction site in Westchester. They made me dig a hole deeper and threw him in. Then they made me put dirt in the hole on top of him. He was unconscious at the time, but I could hear him screaming when I was just about finished. I was so scared for him, because I never wanted to hurt him, but I didn't know what to do. I'm sorry!"

"Matthew, sorry does not fix anything. That federal agent that you helped to kidnap, he's laying in a hospital bed. He has a broken arm where the bone was snapped in half, and his wrist is fractured. He's severely dehydrated. He has several broken and bruised ribs. Both kidneys, his liver, and his brain are bruised. He has a concussion. His lungs are slightly damaged. You helped contribute to these injuries, and sorry won't fix anything." Ziva stood up. "I will talk to the prosecutor, but don't be waiting for a deal."

A moment later, Ziva stormed into the observation room. McGee looked like he had gone pale.

"I can't believe it..." said McGee as Ziva came over to him. "Poor Tony..."

"We cannot let him know that we know, McGee. He will be so hurt."

"We have to tell Gibbs."

"We have to let Tony tell Gibbs, or he will never talk about it." Ziva sighed. "We will have to convince him that we do not see him any differently once he does tell Gibbs."

"We can't tell Abby. She'll cry and then she'll want to coddle him."

"Abby will find out anyway, but we should wait until Tony has told Gibbs."

McGee nodded. "We need to get a confession from the other two, Ziva."

"I need a shower first. They are disgusting people."

"I'll call Gibbs about this confession, maybe he'll be able to get Tony to talk if he knows why Tony won't speak."

* * *

Gibbs pulled his vibrating phone from his pocket. Tony was watching TV, so he stepped outside to answer.

"McGee?"

"Boss, we got a confession out of the third one. A full confession. He admitted to helping abduct Tony and holding him captive. He told us that the other two beat Tony, and sexually assaulted him."

"What else did they do, Tim?" Gibbs asked when McGee hesitated.

"Before they put him in that hole, Gibbs, they... they raped him."

Gibbs grumbled something under his breath, thanked McGee and hung up. Anger washed over him as he thought of what Tony had been through. His behaviour made sense now, he was terrified that someone else would do the same thing to him. He didn't want to be alone because of it. Gibbs needed Tony to talk, needed to hear it from Tony himself. He took a deep breath and stepped back into the room after a moment.

"McGee again?" Tony asked.

"Yeah. They got a confession from one of those guys. Apparently, Ziva was sitting in the room, and the guy got scared just looking at her."

Tony smiled. "My ninja assassin," he said with a small laugh.

"Your ninja assassin?"

"It's my nickname for her. What did he say?" All of a sudden, Tony looked nervous. He sounded afraid.

"He said that he helped to kidnap you and keep you held hostage. He told Ziva about seeing the other two beat you up and hurt you." Gibbs purposely left out the rest, hoping that Tony would fill those gaps.

Tony nodded slowly. He wouldn't look at Gibbs. "That isn't everything they did..."

"Tell me about it, Tony. Tell me what happened so I can put them in prison where they belong."

Tony shuddered as he remembered what had happened before they shoved him in the hole. "The grabbed me from a scene. I was heading back to the truck to put the last of the evidence in while McGee grabbed the last of the equipment. Ziva was finishing off a few witness statements. I had just stepped behind the open door of the van when they grabbed me. I don't think they were planning on taking me, because they just tried to get the evidence out of my hands. But I spun around and tried to push them away. That was when they grabbed me. I screamed out to Ziva because she was the closest to me, but by the time she saw what was happening, it was too late. She couldn't get to me fast enough, and by the time she reached me, the car was speeding off with me in the back."

"Where did they take you?"

"Some warehouse in Chevy Chase. They weren't the smartest abductors. I could see where we were heading the entire time."

"What happened at the warehouse?"

"They dragged me inside and tied to me a chair with straps." Tony looked down at the blood pressure cuff that was still around his arm. "The straps were so tight, I couldn't move."

"Is that why you wouldn't let anyone check your blood pressure?"

Tony nodded. "I didn't mean to freak out. I just couldn't help remembering what happened while I was strapped to the chair."

"Tony, nobody is upset with you, okay? You're scared, and that is perfectly normal. Tell me what happened after you were tied up."

"They started hitting me. They were saying stuff like 'we'll kill you for seeing us' and 'if you ever tell anyone what we did to you, you're dead'. Then they pulled off my..."

With a deep breath and a heavy heart, Gibbs pressed for more information. "Pulled of what, Tony?"

"They pulled my jeans off. I begged them to leave me alone, Gibbs, I swear!"

"I know you did, Tony. I believe you. Just tell me what they did."

"They touched me. I tried to make them stop, but they wouldn't." Tony was shaking again, but Gibbs didn't dare touch him this time. "They were sexually assaulting me."

"How long did it last?"

"Not too long. Maybe ten minutes? After that, they disappeared. I couldn't get free from the chair, and I tried. But then the third guy came back, and he looked scared, so I begged him to free me and let me go. He didn't really do anything to me, but he didn't help either." Tears were sliding down Tony's cheeks. "It was almost a day before they returned. And when they came back, they untied me. I felt so relieved, but then they dragged me off the chair and onto the ground. They tied my hands behind my back, and before I knew it, they were..."

"They were what, Tony? Talk to me." Gibbs knew what happened next, and he in no way wanted to hear it again, but he needed Tony to say it if they were going to charge the three people that had grabbed him.


	6. Chapter 6

Tony couldn't talk anymore. He knew he had to tell Gibbs, but he was scared.

"Tony, bud, I know it's not easy. I need you tell me what they did next," Gibbs gently encouraged.

It took a few minutes, but Tony finally nodded. With a sigh, he said, "they were horrible. I don't know what happened while they were gone, but they were certainly taking out their anger on me." Tony frowned as he remembered what had gone on.

 ** _Flashback_**

 _Tony was laying on the ground of the warehouse, his lower body naked. He couldn't see anyone around him, but he knew they were there. They were talking in angry tones about something that Tony couldn't make out, and then they were standing over him. One of the men, the one he had heard answer to the name John, was standing behind him. Tony could sense him there. John was the leader of the group, that had been clear from the beginning. He liked to have his own way, and this was no different. Tony closed his eyes as he felt John's foot on his bare butt. It was heavy and painful, but Tony kept his mouth closed, scared that if he made noise, they would hurt him more._

 _"Benny! Get me a condom. I don't want any diseases," said John from behind Tony._

 _As fear ran through Tony at the mention of a condom, he felt John touch his butt with his hands. He could feel John's fingers squeezing his butt cheeks while Benny ran off and ran back again a minute later. The relief he felt as John let him go was short lived, because not even a minute later, his hands were back, this time separating his butt cheeks for his penis to slid in._

 ** _End Flashback_**

Tony shook as the flashback ended. He could feel John's hands on him still, could feel him inside. He hadn't even realised that he had spoken out loud until Gibbs laid a soothing hand on his uninjured arm.

"I'm sorry, Gibbs," said Tony quietly. "I tried, but they just wouldn't stop."

"It isn't your fault Tony, but they will pay for this. I promise you, they will pay for this."

"That isn't where it ended."

"Then tell me what happened after that." Gibbs moved to sit with Tony on the bed, his hand holding onto Tony's hand to comfort him.

 ** _Flashback_**

 _When John finally stopped his attack, Tony felt relieved. He thought it was over. Boy, was he wrong. Ten minutes later, Benny was back, so was John, and they had swapped places. Tony squeezed his eyes shut, hoping that it would be over quickly, but he was unlucky. Benny had decided against using his body to attack Tony, and instead chose to use something made of metal. Tony felt the cold instrument slide into him as he tried to stop himself from screaming. He was terrified and in pain._

 _"Benny, I'm leaving for a while to find that idiot. I'll be back in an hour, and I want him broken by then. I don't care how you do it, just break him."_

 _John left, and Benny got rougher. The cold metal was still in him, and Benny was kneeling beside him with an evil grin on his face. Tony saw his hand reach out, and the next thing he knew, Benny was grasping his balls and squeezing them painfully hard. Tony couldn't help the scream that escaped him._

 ** _End Flashback_**

Tony shivered, but he had stopped crying. "It lasted until John returned. I don't know how long he was gone for, but it had to have been longer than an hour."

"Did it stop there?" Gibbs asked.

"Not really. It stopped for a while, but they came back just after it got dark and started up again. This time, John made me turn over onto my back. He had this weird looking object in his hand, but then I realised what it was. It was a vibrator, like the ones we found in that case two months before Kate died."

"Did he use it on you?"

"Yes." Tony shuddered again. "He turned it on and put it on my penis. It hurt, but I didn't scream again. I can't tell you how bad the pain was."

"Did they do anything else?"

"No. After maybe half an hour, John stopped. He told me to stop whimpering and pull my pants up. It wasn't easy, and I think he did that so that I wouldn't succeed and he would be able to yank them up. He's got a sick, twisted mind. He left with Benny and the other guy, Matthew I think. By the time they came back, I was feeling sick and tired. I saw them come in, but I passed out before they came near me. When I woke up, I was in that hole. I screamed and screamed and screamed, but I doubt anybody heard me."

"We saw you pass out a few times in the hole before we found you. Do you remember any of that?"

"I remember being terrified and feeling hopeless. I remember trying to move, and finding that I couldn't. Most of the time, I was out cold. I thought I was going to die in there, until I heard you screaming my name."

Gibbs nodded. "Thank you for telling me, Tony."

"You already knew, didn't you? Ziva and McGee too?"

"Yes. Ziva and McGee found out and told me, but I needed you to say it."

"They're going to hate me."

"Who?"

"Tim and Ziva."

"No, Tony. They won't hate you. In fact, I'm pretty sure they want to come and see you. I told them they had to do all three interrogations before they could come here."

"I don't want them to treat me like a victim. I'm not a victim."

"Tony, you are the victim here. And that is okay. If you don't want them to treat you like that, tell them, but it is perfectly okay to be a victim."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." Gibbs smiled. "Now, do you want to see them? Or should I call Abby first?"

"Does Abby know?"

"Probably. And if not, I'll tell her so that she's over the crying by the time she gets here."

"I think I want Abby first."

"Okay." Gibbs pulled out his phone and called his favourite scientist. "Hey, Abbs."

"Gibbs! How's Tony? Is he alright? Can I visit him? Does he want anything?"

"Abby! Tony is okay, but he could use a hug right now."

"Did he tell you what happened? McGee and Ziva just told me."

"He did. And, like I said, he needs a hug. A special Abby hug."

"I'm on my way. Tell Tony that I'll bring Bert to him, and I'll get him some pizza. It's lunch time."

"Alright, Abby. See you soon." Gibbs hung up. "Abbs is bringing Bert and some pizza for lunch. I'll give her the rest of the day off to stay here with you."

"Why? Are you leaving?" The fear was back and evident.

"Just for a while. I need to go arrest a few people and put them behind bars. And I need a shower. And I want to stop by your apartment and grab you some clothes. Once the dehydration is fixed, Brad will probably let you go home, so you'll need some stuff if you're staying with me."

"Since when am I staying with you?"

"Since right now."

Tony smiled his first genuine smile in a long time. "Alright. But, come back quickly."

"I will, Tony. I promise that I will be back. Besides, I'm pretty sure that Abby will kill me if I leave you again."


	7. Chapter 7

Tony had gone back to watching TV after giving his statement to Gibbs. He was trying to take his mind off what he had suffered when the door opened and Abby peeked in.

"Can I come in?" she asked quietly.

"Not yet, Abbs," said Gibbs as he stood up. "Tony, I'm going to speak to Abby, then I'm heading off. I will be back tonight, okay?"

Tony nodded, but he felt like crying. He had agreed that Gibbs couldn't stay forever, but he still wanted his boss by his side. He still wanted Gibbs to watch over him. He watched Gibbs leave the room, the movie he had been watching forgotten. He couldn't tell what was being said, but he watched as Abby glared at Gibbs for a minute, before hugging him.

* * *

"Is something wrong?" Abby asked when Gibbs came out of the room. She was holding Bert in one hand and a pizza box in the other.

"Tony's pretty scared. He doesn't want me to leave, although I know that's because he's worried I won't come back," said Gibbs.

Abby glared at him. "You did leave all of us. It hurt us, but it hurt Tony more. He loves you like a father. You didn't say anything about where you were going or when you would be back. You know Tony's past, you know what his father was like. You know how he feels about older adults abandoning him, even if it isn't what happened. You know how much Tony wants approval, and he can't get that if he's the one in charge and giving out the approval."

"I know Abby. I will work out a way to make it up to him. But, right now, my priority is making sure these bastards don't hurt Tony again."

Abby engulfed him in a hug. "Make sure you come back before the end of visiting hours. It won't do too much, but it will show Tony that you love him and aren't abandoning him. I'll spend the afternoon with him so he isn't alone, but you have to come back. Don't make me come and find you, because if I do, I'll have to kill you. Tony is a big brother for me, and I will look out for him." Turning on her heel, Abby headed into the hospital room with a bright smile.

* * *

Tony smiled when Abby came in. He could smell the pizza she was carrying, and he couldn't wait to cuddle Bert.

"Hiya, Tony!" Abby said happily. "I brought you pizza and Bert. Which do you want first?"

"Can I have one of your famous Abby hugs?"

Abby nodded, her pigtails bouncing around with her. She put the pizza box on the table and Bert on the end of the bed, then climbed up next to Tony and threw her arms around him. She held on for a couple of minutes, with Tony clutching her jacket. She could feel his tears soaking through her t-shirt, so she hugged him a little tighter, making sure not to hurt him. She automatically started rubbing his back gently, hoping to help calm him down again.

Finally, after five minutes, Tony stopped crying. He pulled away from Abby and looked away, his cheeks going red from embarrassment.

"Tony, look at me," said Abby gently. She turned him to face her. "Why are you embarrassed? How many times have I cried into your shoulder? Especially in the last couple of months?"

"I didn't mean it, Abbs."

"You are allowed to cry, you know." Abby was the only one that really knew what Tony had been going through since Gibbs left. They alternated between each other's apartments, comforting each other when needed, and just spending time together now that their shared 'parent' was gone. She had been at Tony's apartment with him when he had gotten so upset that he couldn't breathe anymore. She had called the ambulance and gone to the hospital with him. She had told Jenny the next day that Tony was in the hospital under observation because he had made himself ill. She had been the one to spend all day at the hospital, comforting her friend. So, an emotional Tony was not something new.

"I wish I could feel better. Gibbs is back to stay, I got what I wanted. Why aren't I happy?"

"Maybe because you just spent four days in hell?"

"Why me? What was it that they wanted?"

"According to Ziva, it looked like you had evidence they were after. She found all of your evidence bags on the ground next to the van, except one. Did they take something from you?"

"They tried. I don't know if they got anything. What was missing?"

"We cross checked with the evidence log you put into the van- a good idea by the way- and found that you logged in a cigarette. There was no cigarette in the bags."

"It had blood on it," Tony said after a moment. "That was why I picked it up. It wasn't in the scene. I found it on the side of the road near the van."

"It was a good find. But, don't worry, we don't need it. I found enough blood and DNA on other items of evidence that my babies are still working hard, four days later. We'll find the petty officer."

"I should be helping."

"No. You should be resting. Come on, let's watch a movie while we have lunch." Abby got up and pulled the table to the bed for them. She grabbed Bert and put him on Tony's legs. "You should cuddle him for a while."

Tony picked Bert up and hugged him, then put him on his left side, held in place by his broken arm, so he could eat the pizza Abby had passed to him.


	8. Chapter 8

After lunch, Tony found himself falling asleep on Abby's shoulder. Ever since Gibbs had left, Abby had been the only one capable of calming him, and now was no different. Bert was still snuggled in the crook of the elbow on Tony's broken arm, but he was no longer hearing the noises the toy made whenever he moved his arm. He kept his head on Abby's shoulder, even while she moved to turn the TV off. By the time she had sat back, he was fast asleep.

* * *

Abby smiled as she sat back and noticed that Tony had finally fallen asleep. Carefully, she moved so that Tony was in the middle of the bed and covered him with the blankets. She moved his left arm onto the pillow provided and then moved Bert to Tony's right arm, tucking it under Tony's hand so he could still feel it.

"Sleep peacefully, Tony," Abby said quietly, "I'm not going anywhere."

Abby watched over Tony from the chair next to the bed for the next hour, happy to see him so peaceful.

* * *

Gibbs was pissed when he got back to work. He wanted to murder all three of the people being interrogated for what they had done to Tony. He didn't care that the third guy hadn't hurt Tony, he was still involved in kidnapping a federal agent, and he hadn't tried to stop Tony being hurt.

"Where the hell are they?" Gibbs growled as he passed Ziva in the bull pen.

"McGee is on the way back from transferring Matthew for his arraignment, and the other two pigs are in the interrogation rooms. I tried to get them talking, but they are disgusting, and I want to kill them for hurting the best man alive."

"I know, Ziva, I know," sighed Gibbs. "I'm going to try getting them to talk."

"You will need a shower after it."

"So be it. I have enough to charge all three of them even without confessions. What they did is despicable, Ziva. Tony's statement is enough to put them away for life."

"Then we should just arrest them and throw them in jail. They do not deserve to be free."

"Relax, Ziva. They will get punished. Nobody gets away with hurting my senior agent." Gibbs walked off, looking back after he was out of Ziva's sight to check on his young friend.

* * *

Tony woke up slowly. He still felt a little tired, but he felt much better now that he had gotten a peaceful rest. He turned his head, expecting to find Abby next to him still, and was saddened to notice her missing. He moved his right hand to lift himself up, but realised that Bert was in the way when he pushed on the soft toy and it made noise.

"Tony?" Abby asked.

Tony looked up to find Abby sitting in a chair near the window, reading. "You didn't leave."

"Of course I didn't. I wouldn't do that without telling you and saying goodbye. Besides, it isn't the first time in the last few months that I've spent time with you in a hospital."

Tony smiled. "I am so glad that you are here, Abby."

"Me too. And I am not leaving, either. At least, not until the kick me out anyway."

"You think I could get Brad to agree to letting you stay overnight?"

"No, I don't think Brad would agree to that."

Tony and Abby smiled as they looked up. Brad was standing at the door, smirking.

"Please?" Tony asked.

"Nope. You need rest if you want to go home sometime in the next couple of days."

"Fine. But, Abby can stay now, right?"

"Yes. Until visiting hours are over, she is more than welcome to spend time with you. Where's Gibbs?"

"Working." Tony changed the subject. "Where's Emma?"

"Working," Brad mimicked.

Tony grinned. "Is it time for dinner yet?"

"No. You had lunch an hour ago. Are you still hungry?"

Tony nodded.

"Okay. There's still some pizza that the nurses put into the fridge for you. I'll heat up a couple of slices and bring them in. But, first, I just want to check you. Let's sit you up."

Tony made himself comfortable again once the bed had been raised. He didn't complain when Brad examined him, but was secretly relieved when it was over and Brad had left to get his food for him.

"Can I sit with you again?" Abby asked.

"Sure." Tony moved over a little as Abby came to join him. "Thank you for not leaving me," he whispered.

Abby put Bert onto Tony's left side. "I'm here whenever you need me, I promise." She hugged him a little, then left her head on his shoulder.

* * *

Gibbs was glad that the second suspect, Benny had listened to his lawyer and given them a confession. He had admitted to beating and abducting Tony, and had admitted that he had raped Tony, though it had been John's idea. The guy was currently being transferred to a holding cell to await trial like Matthew. With a sigh, Gibbs headed into the next interrogation room to deal with John. Ziva had been right, he wasn't planning on talking, and it seemed like his lawyer wasn't planning on making him talk either.

"I have two confessions, John. I don't need yours. All of the information I have implicates you and says that all of this was your idea. That you made the decision to kidnap a federal agent. That you chose to beat and sexually abuse him. That you were the one that decided to rape him. So, you can attempt to help yourself here, or you can sit back while I charge you with kidnapping a federal agent, rape and sexual assault, and physical assault. It's your choice, and you have two minutes to decide," said Gibbs calmly, despite the anger rushing through his body.

John ignored Gibbs and sat back in his chair, unfazed.

"Okay then, time's up, and it's clear that you aren't going to talk. So, John, you are under arrest for rape, sexual assault, physical assault and the kidnapping of a federal agent. You have the right to remain silent," said Gibbs as he dragged John to his feet and cuffed him.


	9. Chapter 9

Gibbs was relieved to have put the three men in prison finally. While they still would go to trial, they couldn't hurt Tony anymore. Despite this relief, however, Gibbs' gut was telling him that something wasn't right. Who were these men? Why did they want the evidence Tony had? And why did they feel the need to sexually attack a federal agent? There was something that they were missing.

"Ziva, I want you to dig into Matthew and Benny. Get me everything you can on them- including where they work and who they work for, and their family lives. I want to know every move they've made in the last month. Tim, do the same with John. Something's missing here, and I want to know what it is."

"Where are you going, boss?" asked McGee.

"Back to the hospital. I promised Tony I'd go back there before the end of visiting hours."

"When can we see Tony?" Ziva asked.

"Tomorrow. He should only be in hospital for a couple of days, but a visit from the two of you would help him a lot. He thinks that the two of you are going to hate him, that you'll see him as weak and a victim."

"Never. Tony might technically be a victim, but it doesn't mean we see him differently. He is still Tony," said McGee.

"Good luck convincing him of that." Gibbs sighed. "Make sure you both get some rest. It's been a long week. I'll see you tomorrow morning."

* * *

Ziva and McGee watched their boss leave, then Ziva turned to McGee.

"We should get Tony a gift. Some flowers, maybe?" she asked.

"I think some GSM magazines would be better for him. And some pizza."

"Abby took pizza to Tony today."

"Oh. What about Chinese, then?"

Ziva nodded. "We should do that as lunch with Tony."

"I wonder if he would want some of his DVDs?"

"There are movies on TV."

"Yeah, but the ones during the day are really boring. Tony won't want to watch them."

"Okay. We will have to go to his apartment first. I will go there in the morning on my way to work. Gibbs already picked up clothes for Tony, and Tony will be staying with Gibbs."

"Okay. Maybe you can take his goldfish to his neighbour? She loves Tony like he's her son, she'll take care of Kate for him."

Ziva nodded. "Which neighbour is this?"

"Ms Wallace. She lives 4D, across from Tony's door."

* * *

Gibbs arrived back at the hospital an hour before visiting hours ended. He knew he was allowed to stay overnight, Brad had organised that for Tony's comfort and security, but he also knew that Abby was right. If he came when he said he would, Tony would eventually be able to trust him again. Of course, if he could figure out who was after Tony and put an end to it, Tony would be safe and it would go a very long way towards him regaining Tony's trust.

"Hi, Gibbs," said Brad when Gibbs arrived on Tony's floor.

"How's Tony? He was still upset when I left this afternoon."

"He's tired and hurt. He really wants to believe that you are going to keep your promises." Brad sighed. "How could you not see that Tony was lost the moment you said you were leaving?"

Gibbs shook his head. "I don't know. I guess it was because I wasn't thinking clearly. I'd just been blown up, and I lost my memory. Tony was lost the minute he realised that I didn't know who he was, and, unfortunately, by the time I saw it, it was far too late to fix. I was stupid to not pay attention to him. I know what Tony's like, and I know how he feels about older people leaving him too. It was a big mistake, and I don't know how to fix it."

"Start by keeping your promises. You can stay overnight tonight, so watch a movie with him, let him tell you some jokes. Let him dictate how things are going to work for tonight. Sleep in his room so he's not alone."

"I feel like he doesn't really believe that I'm not leaving again."

"That would be because he doesn't believe it. Every time he so much as closes his eyes, it's like you've disappeared. You didn't say goodbye, and despite the fact that you haven't left, he thinks you have. Whenever you don't say goodbye, or you don't tell him where you're going, it's going to seem to him like you're leaving again. Does he even know where you were after you left NCIS?"

"He knows I went to Mexico."

"Did you tell him when you would be back?"

"No. I wasn't planning on coming back."

"Did you tell Tony that?"

"How was I going to do that?"

"I don't know. But that is why he was so upset- you didn't tell him anything. At the very least, you could have given him an address so he could visit you, or a phone number to call you on. It isn't that you left NCIS and left Tony in charge that upset him. It's because you didn't give him any lifelines. He was thrown into his new position at work and had nobody to seek advice from, all while being given an undercover assignment that he wasn't comfortable with or interested in and having arguments with his friends. He had nobody to look out for him or protect him. And he didn't have anyone that could tell him he was doing a good job. He needed you, because you are all he has, Gibbs."

Gibbs nodded sadly. "I know that. I lost sight of it for a while, but I know that. When I found out that the team was working on their own to find him, I was so pissed. Not just at the people that took him, but at NCIS and myself too. I hated that I left such a sweet, loving, caring man alone and vulnerable. I couldn't believe that NCIS wouldn't protect one of its own, especially after the way they've protected me in the past. But, mostly, I hated myself because I wasn't there when Tony really needed me. I would do anything to fix that, I just don't know how."

"You need to figure it out. Ask Tony what he wants from you, because that is the best way to fix your relationship. And, just a little word to the wise, don't leave him like that again. If you need to go, tell him where you're going so he can find you, and tell him when you'll be back. Give him your contact information." Brad smiled. "Go and visit him. Abby's falling asleep, but she knows that Tony's afraid to be alone right now. You know, she's been the best friend to him these past few months? A month ago, Tony made himself sick with worry over work and his relationship with Ziva. He ended up under my care again, and Abby was here with him the two days he spent here, and then spent as much time as possible with him for nearly a week afterwards so that he was alright. She's a good person."

Gibbs smiled. "Abby and Tony have been best friends ever since Tony came to work at NCIS. Out of everyone, she has always been the only person, aside from me, that could get through to Tony and get him to do anything he wouldn't do."

Brad nodded. He quickly understood what Gibbs meant by that statement. "Go, before he ends up falling asleep in there."


	10. Chapter 10

Gibbs entered Tony's room to find Abby and Tony watching TV. Abby looked afraid, but her eyes were glued to the screen anyway. Tony didn't seem to be scared, but his eyes also looked glassy, like he had been given some sort of drug to help with his pain. Gibbs had a feeling that Tony wasn't really taking anything in.

"Hey, guys," said Gibbs from the doorway. "What are you watching?"

"It's a horror movie, Gibbs," said Abby. "It's really scary." She made no attempt to move though. She looked like she was protecting Tony from whatever was scaring the people in the movie.

"Why don't you change the channel?"

"Couldn't find the control," Tony said sleepily.

Gibbs nodded. He put the bag of clothes he had gotten for Tony onto the windowsill and moved to the bed. The control was hanging on the side, so he grabbed it and turned the TV off.

"Thanks, boss-man," said Abby as she sighed with relief.

"What's with Tony?" Gibbs asked, indicating the glassy-eyed look on the young man's face.

"Brad gave him morphine for his pain, but Tony was tired already. He didn't want to sleep until he saw you."

Gibbs smiled. "Well, bud, I'm here. You can go to sleep."

Tony shook his head. "You'll leave."

"No, I won't. I'm staying here, remember?"

Slowly, Tony nodded. "All night?"

"Yes, all night."

"Okay." Tony yawned and put his head onto Abby's shoulder. His eyes shut and he was asleep instantly.

"You want to stay a while Abby? Visiting hours aren't over for another ten minutes."

"No. I need to get going." Abby gently lifted Tony's head off her shoulder and laid him on the bed, covering him with the blanket. She kissed his cheek, then placed Bert under his injured arm for comfort. "I love you, big brother," Abby whispered to Tony. "I'll come back tomorrow with Chinese food for lunch. I'll see if Sister Rosita can come and visit too. I know how much you love her."

Gibbs watched on with happiness. Abby and Tony had always been close- she had been the one to ultimately make Tony love working for NCIS. He was glad that, if anything, their relationship seemed stronger than before he had gone to Mexico.

"Go home, not to work," said Gibbs.

"That was the plan. I'm ready for dinner and bed. I love Tony, so I want to be rested before I come in tomorrow."

* * *

Tony was sleeping peacefully, so Gibbs got comfortable on the couch and closed his eyes. He had just fallen asleep when he heard the heart monitor get faster. He was off the couch and at Tony's side at the same time that the door opened and a nurse hurried in.

"What's wrong with him?" Gibbs asked.

"He's agitated. Did he get upset?"

"I don't know. He was sleeping peacefully, so I thought I'd try and get some sleep too."

The nurse nodded. She gently shook Tony's uninjured shoulder until he woke up.

"He's not calming down," Gibbs said worriedly once Tony was awake.

"It's a nightmare. He's not actually awake. I'll give him a mild sedative to calm him down."

"Do you have to?"

"It's better for him. If we don't calm him down and his heart rate gets any higher, he will be at risk for any number of problems."

"Can I try first?"

"Sure."

Gibbs picked up Tony's uninjured hand and squeezed it gently. "Tony, buddy, you're in the hospital. You can relax now."

Nothing changed with that statement. Tony continued to struggle against against some invisible attacker and his heart rate started rising again.

"Sorry, Agent Gibbs, but Tony's health has to be my top priority. I can't let him get worse." The nurse held Tony's right arm down and quickly injected a sedative. She waited a few minutes as Tony finally relaxed, then used her stethoscope to make sure that Tony's breathing was normal again. "He's okay now, but I doubt that the sedative will last all night long. If he starts getting agitated again, and you can't calm him after two minutes, let us know so we can give him something to help."

"Is this going to be a common occurrence?"

"Possibly. I'd suggest that he talks to someone, if only to help him calm down and stop the nightmares. Try and get him to talk to you first, because he's probably more comfortable with you than a stranger." The nurse fixed the blankets and stroked Tony's head softly until Tony was completely calm again. "He'll be okay by the morning. Try and sleep, Agent Gibbs."

Gibbs nodded and returned to the couch after putting Bert on Tony's right side so that he could cuddle it if he needed to. He closed his eyes after watching Tony for ten minutes, but sleep took a lot longer to come.

* * *

Tony opened his eyes to sunlight streaming in. He noticed that Gibbs was asleep on the couch, so he reached for the call button and pressed it.

"Hello, Tony," said a young nurse. "How are you feeling?"

"Sore."

"I'll get you some pain relief." The nurse left and returned a minute later with a syringe. "It's morphine, but just a half dose for now. Your doctor will be down shortly to check on you."

Tony was glad for the morphine, but knew something was wrong immediately. He looked up at the man standing over him and tried to call out to Gibbs, but he was dizzy and couldn't bring himself to talk. He watched helplessly as the man that had pretended to be a nurse left him unable to breathe as his lungs slowly filled with fluid.


	11. Chapter 11

Gibbs awoke to the sound of shouting. Confused, he thought that it was Tony having another nightmare until he saw several nurses rushing around the room.

"Page Dr Pitt, ASAP," a nurse shouted as he continued to pump air into Tony's lungs.

A second nurse ran to the nurses' station, returning a moment later. "Dr Pitt is on the way."

The first nurse nodded and continued pumping air. The heart monitor was still beeping way too fast as Gibbs watched on in horror. What had happened? Tony had been okay when he fell asleep.

"What's going on?" Brad demanded as he came into the room.

"He's not breathing. His lungs are full of fluid."

"How did this happen?"

"We don't know. We came in to see what Tony needed because he had pushed the call button and found him trying to get enough air into his lungs."

"How long have you been at this?"

"Five minutes."

"Okay. Increase his oxygen, now! Do a blood test, put a rush on it at the lab. I want a chest x-ray right now. Get me antibiotics for bacterial pneumonia and start him on it straight away." Brad looked at Tony's arm, which was still laying at an awkward angle on the bed. "What's with his arm?"

"That was how we found him. His arm was bleeding slightly, so we put some gauze there for now."

Brad moved the gauze and found a puncture mark. "Did anyone use a needle here?"

"No."

"I think we know how the bacteria got into his blood. Someone check the security footage and find out who the last person was in this room." Brad turned to Gibbs. "Did you see anything, Gibbs?"

"No. Tony had a bad nightmare last night and wouldn't calm down, so a nurse gave him a sedative through the IV."

"So, someone tried to kill him again? What happened to the NCIS agents outside the room?"

"Aren't they still there?"

"No."

Gibbs sighed. "Can you get security up here until I figure out what happened to them?"

"Of course. But, it's going to have to wait until we get Tony stabilised."

* * *

An hour later, Brad stepped back and smiled at Tony. "Hey, pal, how are you feeling?"

Tony coughed and looked at Brad with sleepy eyes. "Sore. What happened?"

"Someone tried to kill you again. They would have succeeded if you hadn't already called for a nurse."

"When?"

"An hour or so ago. Do you remember if anybody came in this morning?"

Slowly, Tony nodded. "A man. Thought he was a nurse."

"What did he do?"

"Morphine... I think."

"It wasn't morphine, pal. He drugged you."

"Perfect."

"You'll be alright. We're giving you the same strong antibiotics that we normally would give you for pneumonia to get the fluid out of your lungs. It should only take a couple of days, but if you start getting sick, we'll keep you on the medication longer."

"Still have visitors?"

"Of course. I heard that Abby wants to bring a nun that bowls today to see you."

Tony grinned a little. "Sister Rosita..." he coughed.

"That was her name. Does she really go bowling?"

"Yes."

"I have got to see that. Let me know when she gets here, okay?"

"Okay." Tony closed his eyes and snuggled down underneath his blanket, bringing Bert with him.

* * *

Gibbs sat on the couch, keeping watch over Tony as the younger man slept. He was worried, despite Brad telling him that everything would be alright and that Tony would still get to go home by the weekend. He had already called Jenny and asked her to find the agents that were supposed to be protecting Tony, and he had checked in with Ziva and McGee too. They had said they had some information to share with him and some photos they needed Tony to look at. Gibbs had told them to come to the hospital as soon as they could, before Tony had the chance to get any sicker.

"Gibbs?"

Looking at the door, Gibbs saw Ziva poking her head in.

"Can we come in?"

"Yeah, come in." Gibbs made room on the couch for Ziva to join him. "What did you guys find?"

"The three men that attacked Tony, they are from the Baltimore Mafia. They are low on the pole, and Matthew gave up the name of his boss when we questioned him again."

"What does that have to do with Tony?"

"During Tony's first year with Baltimore PD," said McGee, "his boss sent him undercover with the mafia family. According to his file, Tony was able to get in easily and made his way up to be the boss' right hand man."

"They figured out he was a cop?"

"No. Tony's alias supposedly left the country. We don't know how they figured out who Tony is, but we know they aren't planning on stopping until he's dead."

Gibbs sighed. "I'll call Jen and see if we can put out the word that Tony's dead. Another guy tried to kill him this morning, and almost succeeded. He stopped breathing for nearly ten minutes."

Ziva paled next to Gibbs. She looked over at Tony. "He is okay now?"

"Not a hundred percent, but he's alright. His doctor is giving him strong antibiotics to help remove the fluid that was building in his lungs and is going to monitor Tony for a while to make sure that whatever bacteria was injected into him doesn't cause him to develop pneumonia."

"He will be okay?"

"I hope so, Ziva, I really do." Gibbs sighed and stood up. "You said you wanted to show Tony some photos?"

"Yeah. They're mug shots of people suspected to be in the mafia. I was hoping he could identify the ones he knew so that we can stop them from hurting him again," said McGee. "Should we come back?"

"No. I'll wake him up. Just don't push him- he's a little out of it from all the drugs he's being given. According to his doctor, confusion is expected with pneumonia, so just be aware of that."

"You said he doesn't have pneumonia."

"I know, but he's exhibiting some signs of the illness, although they could be attributed to some drugs as well. We'll know for sure when Tony's blood test comes back." Gibbs stepped up to Tony's bed and gently shook his shoulder.

"Boss?" Tony asked.

"Hey, buddy. I need you to stay awake for a little while. Do you think you can do that?"

"Okay." Tony looked over and spotted his teammates. He automatically went red and looked away.

"Tony, it is okay," said Ziva kindly as she swapped places with Gibbs. "You should not be ashamed. You did not do the wrong thing."

"I'm not the victim," mumbled Tony.

"Okay. We did not think that. We wanted to see you yesterday, but Gibbs would not let us. He said you were not feeling happy, and were worried about what McGee and I think."

"You don't think I'm pathetic?"

"Of course not! We think you are very brave, Tony. It would have been very hard to go through, but much harder to talk about. You are our friend, and we will always love you."

Tony finally smiled. He reached out with his right hand and held onto Ziva's hand for reassurance.


	12. Chapter 12

Once Ziva had returned to the couch with Gibbs, McGee stepped forward and gave Tony a soft hug.

"I miss you so much. I can't wait for you to come back to work."

Tony smiled. "Thank you, Tim."

McGee smiled happily as he sat on the bed. "Listen, I have some photos to show you, but if you don't want to look, you don't have to."

"Photos of what?"

"People. They're mug shots of people that are suspected of being a part of the Baltimore mafia family. Ziva and I were hoping that you would be able to ID the ones you knew while you were undercover."

"I'm not sure if I remember all of them."

"That's okay. Just point out the ones you knew."

"Why do you want me to ID them?" Tony asked, feeling a little confused now.

"Because, the three men that hurt you were from there."

"Three men? What do you mean?"

McGee frowned, but Gibbs jumped in before he could say anything else.

"Tony, remember how we talked about the people that hurt your arm?" Gibbs asked gently.

"Yeah. The same ones raped me," Tony said sadly.

"Right. Those men were from the Baltimore mafia. McGee and Ziva want to know if you can ID anyone else so they can prevent you from being hurt again."

"Oh." Tony's face brightened a little. "I can do that. Tim?"

"Yeah, Tony?" asked McGee.

"Do you have the photos now?"

"Yes. Are you sure you want to look at them?"

Tony nodded. "I want to help."

McGee smiled to himself as he pulled the photos from the file he had brought along. Tony seemed so innocent in his confusion, and it was really adorable. He handed the photos to Tony. "Take as much time as you need."

Tony looked through the first page of mug shots, but he didn't recognise anyone. He was half way through the second page when a picture jumped out at him. He pointed at it and said, "that guy was here today, Gibbs."

"Do you know him?"

"No. He's the one that I thought was a nurse."

Gibbs' expression darkened for a second. "Does anyone else on the page ring a bell?"

"Nope."

"Good. Give me the page. I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Where are you going?" Tony asked, his tone all worry now.

"Just to make a phone call, bud. I'll be back before you know it." Gibbs turned to McGee. "Stay with him and try to reassure him if he asks for me again. I'll explain it later on." He beckoned for Ziva to join him and stepped out into the hallway.

* * *

"Why is Tony afraid of you leaving?" Ziva asked once they were in the waiting room.

"Because he thinks I'm going to leave him behind again." Gibbs sighed. "I know it's my fault, Ziva. Don't lecture me like Abby did yesterday."

"I will not lecture you. But I will kill you if you leave Tony sad like that again. He did not know what to do without you, Gibbs."

"So I've been told. Listen, I need to call Jen and get her to put out the word that Tony is dead. At least, if he's 'dead', they'll stop coming after him and Tony will get a chance to heal. I need to know who ratted Tony out as well."

"Abby is digging through the files of people that knew Tony was undercover and knew about his alias. She is looking for anybody that might know where Tony is now."

"Good." Gibbs shook his head. "Tony's lucky that the nurses got in as quickly as they did."

"I know." Ziva smiled. "I will go sit with him while you make your phone call. If anybody wants to hurt Tony, I will kill them."

Gibbs suppressed a laugh as Ziva re-entered Tony's room, then pulled out his phone to call Jenny.

* * *

Tony used the texta that McGee had given him to circle the last picture on the last page of mug shots. Then he handed both items to McGee.

"That's it. I think there may be more, but I don't remember them," said Tony.

"It's alright. That's quite a lot of people anyway. How far up the ladder did you get?" McGee asked.

"I was the right hand man for the don."

McGee nodded, impressed with Tony's skills. He knew that his friend was good at undercover operations, but that was unexpected.

"Tim?"

"Yes?"

"I know Ziva said that both of you still care and all, but she doesn't know what you're thinking. Do you still want to be my friend?"

McGee's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Tony! Of course I want to be your friend still! Who else would call me Elf Lord with such affection?"

Tony's lips twitched into a little smile. "Well, I guess you are my Elf Lord."

"Exactly. What those men did to you Tony, it's inexcusable. It doesn't make us see you any differently. You are still the annoying, smarty pants, teenager you've always been."

"Teenager?"

"Yes. That's what you act like." McGee smiled. "We still love you, no matter what happens. As for those three men- especially the two that actually hurt you- they're lucky that Ziva didn't get to murder them. Believe me, she wanted to kill them on the spot when we found out."

Tony laughed. "She's my ninja assassin."

"Who is your ninja assassin?" asked Ziva after closing the door behind her.

"No-one." Tony's face went red from being caught.

"Liar. Tell me."

"I'm tired," said Tony as he shut his eyes and pretended to be asleep.

"I know you are faking, Tony. Just tell me who this ninja assassin is, and I will leave you alone."

"I somehow doubt that, Ziva," said McGee as he tried to control his laughter.

"You know too, McGee. Tell me, or I will hurt you."

"Tony?"

"She won't hurt you, Probie. Ziva would have to work alone if she gets rid of you." Tony opened his eyes, and, although he really was tired, he smiled happily, declaring, "the ninja assassin strikes again!"

"What are you talking about?" Ziva demanded. "It is not nice to have secrets."

"Says the woman who talks in Hebrew when she doesn't want anyone to know what she's talking about."

"Please, Tony?" Ziva asked, giving him her best puppy dog eyes.

"Fine." Tony sighed dramatically. "The ninja assassin is..."

"Tony, you'll regret telling her," warned McGee.

"It's okay, Tim. Ziva, I was talking about you."

"Me?" asked Ziva, now confused.

"Yes. Who else would be a ninja assassin?"

"That is a good point. Okay, so I am your ninja assassin. Why?"


	13. Chapter 13

Tony couldn't help laughing. He liked being the centre of attention sometimes, and this was no exception.

"Why am I your ninja assassin?" Ziva asked again.

"Because you are an assassin, or you were anyway, and you are as stealthy as a ninja when you want to be. And..."

"And what Tony?"

"Uh... nothing."

"You are a bad liar, Tony. Tell me what else you wanted to say."

Tony shook his head and yawned. "Guys, I think it might be time for me to sleep. Can you come back after work?" he asked hopefully.

"Yes, of course. I want to know what you are not telling me," said Ziva.

"Sorry, I have a date," said McGee, expecting a joke.

"Have a good time, Probie," said Tony with a smile. "She must be one lucky lady to have met you."

McGee frowned. "Is he being sarcastic?"

"I do not think he is," answered Ziva softly as they left the room.

* * *

Gibbs was glad when Jenny answered on the first ring.

"Gibbs? I'm about to head into a meeting. How's Tony doing?"

"He's alive, thank god."

"What are you talking about? I know he's alive."

"You didn't hear yet?"

"Hear what?"

"Someone tried to kill him this morning. The nurses got to him in time to save him, but it's possible that he'll develop pneumonia now because of the bacteria that was in the drugs injected into him. His doctor wants to keep him another day now, just to make sure he doesn't develop complications."

"Did anyone get the person responsible?"

"No. He was gone before anyone arrived."

"Weren't you there?"

"Yes. I was asleep at the time. I spent most of the night watching Tony sleep after he had a bad nightmare."

"Where's the security footage?"

"It's still being reviewed. Tony identified the guy though. He was in one of the mugshots McGee got from Baltimore PD. I need you to put out a BOLO, but say he was caught on camera."

"Why?"

"Because the guy is part of the Baltimore mafia family, and this is the second time they've tried to kill Tony. I don't want there to be a third time."

"You want it put out there that Tony is dead, don't you?"

"Yes. And the only people to know different is the team, you, and his doctor. I will pick the nurses that can know the truth. I want to also know what happened to the agents that were meant to be on protective duty for Tony."

"I'll get right on it. My meeting is with the media reps anyway, so I'll add Tony's 'death' to my agenda. Stay at the hospital with him, Gibbs. Until we know that everyone believes Tony is dead, he's going to need protection."

"I'm already here with him. I'm not planning on leaving, and as soon as Tony is released from the hospital, I want him in protective custody at a safehouse. If we can't get one, he'll stay in my house under protective custody."

"I understand. Let me see what I can find."

Gibbs let out a breath of relief as he hung up. Now that he had Tony's safety under control, he needed to find Brad and let him in on the secret.

"Gibbs? We are going back to work. Tony is sleeping," said Ziva as she and McGee passed him.

"Okay. Did you get anything from Tony, McGee?"

"Yes. He ID'd everyone he could remember. It's a long list for us to run down."

"Alright. Get right on it once you get back. And tell Abby that she needs to bring Sister Rosita down here now, otherwise they won't be able to visit Tony for a while. Don't tell her what happened this morning, though. I'll talk to her when she gets here."

* * *

Abby was excited when McGee called and told her Gibbs had given permission for her and Sister Rosita to visit Tony before lunch. So excited, in fact, that she had gone and picked her friend up from the church she worked in, and driven straight to Bethesda.

"Hey, Abbs," said Gibbs when Abby opened the door to Tony's room.

"Hi, Gibbs. How's Tony?" Abby asked as she went and sat with him on the bed.

"He's okay right now. Can you come over here?"

Abby frowned as she went and joined Gibbs on the couch, leaving Sister Rosita to her silent prayer for Tony.

"What's up, boss-man?"

"Abbs, promise me that you'll be quiet when you start freaking out."

"Okay..."

"Someone, another person from the mafia that McGee and Ziva are investigating, tried to kill Tony this morning."

"What?" Abby asked in a frightened whisper. Her eyes darted to her sleeping best friend. "Is he okay?"

"Yes. The nurses got to him in time to save him. Brad is looking at keeping him here an extra day to monitor him for complications, and has already started Tony on antibiotics to prevent him getting sick."

"Someone tried to kill him again."

"Jenny is dealing with that. She and I have agreed that it would be best if we make everyone believe Tony is dead."

"So people will stop coming after him?"

"Yes."

"Does that mean I can't come and see him anymore?"

"You can still come, but if anybody asks you who you're visiting, say the person is your grandmother. Brad and a handful of nurses that I choose will know the truth, and the team will too, but that is it."

"What about Tony's dad?"

"He doesn't even care that his son is in the hospital, Abby. Why should he know the truth?"

"If he thinks Tony is gone, he might try to do something to you."

"Let him. It'll give me a reason to put him in prison, where he belongs."

"Are you going to tell Tony?"

"Of course, but not until he wakes up. I won't wake him for that."

"Can I wake him up so we can chat? He'll be upset if he doesn't get to talk to Sister Rosita."

Gibbs smiled and nodded. "But, you let him go back to sleep the minute he's ready, okay Abby?"

"Of course." Abby jumped up and moved to Tony's side. She gently shook the uninjured arm until Tony opened his eyes.

"Hi, Abbs," Tony said after a yawn. "Long time no see."

"I know. It's been, like, fifteen hours."

Tony smiled. "I missed you."

"Missed you, too, Tony." Abby gave him a smile. "Look who I brought with me."

Tony turned his head to the left and smiled tiredly at Sister Rosita. "Hi," he said.

"Hello, Tony. How are you feeling?" Sister Rosita asked.

"I'm okay. I feel really tired though. More tired than normal."

"It's from the medication, Tony," said Gibbs. "I'll be back in a minute. I'm just going to find Brad, okay?"

"Okay." Tony smiled a little. "Don't leave for good, though."

"I'm not." Gibbs waved as he stepped out, leaving Tony in Abby's capable hands.


	14. Chapter 14

"Hi, Gibbs," said Brad as he watched the agent walk up the corridor. "Is everything okay with Tony? Does he need something?"

"Tony's alright at the moment. He's just tired."

"That's normal."

"Yeah. Listen, is there somewhere we can talk in private?"

"Of course." Brad frowned. "What's going on?"

"Not here. It's important that only a select few people know about it." Gibbs spotted Emma coming out of a room and beckoned her over. "Emma, I need you to come with me as well, please."

"Where are we going?" Emma asked as she followed Brad and Gibbs.

"To talk in private."

"Does this have something to do with Tony?"

"Yes."

Brad was immediately concerned. He opened the door to a meeting room and led Gibbs and Emma inside.

* * *

With everyone seated, Gibbs cleared his throat and said, "For Tony's safety, especially after what happened this morning, it has been decided that we are going to put it out that Tony is dead. As soon as he is well enough to be released from the hospital, I'll be taking him to a safehouse."

"Why does he need to pretend that he's dead?" Emma asked.

"Because the people that put him in here in the first place, as well as the man that almost killed him this morning, are from the Baltimore mafia. They aren't going to stop until he's dead, and I would rather not put anybody in danger."

"Tony isn't going to like this," said Brad.

"He'll have a choice in where he stays- my house or a safehouse. But he doesn't have a choice in the rest. We need him safe, and the only way to do that is to make it seem as though the mafia has succeeded in killing him. He won't like it, you're right about that, but he'll get over it. He'll understand that it's for his own good."

"Gibbs, I really don't think releasing Tony just yet is a good idea."

"Understood. When is the soonest possible time for release?"

"It's unwise, and I certainly don't recommend it, but I could release him tomorrow morning. He'll still have the drugs in his system for a couple more days, and the bacteria can still cause infections or pneumonia."

"Can you give him any medication to take?"

"Yes. He won't like it though."

"Why?"

"It can only be administered through injections. The medication needs to go straight into his bloodstream."

Gibbs sighed. "Would Ducky be able to administer it?"

"Yes. But Dr Mallard would need to stay by Tony's side all day, for at least the next few days."

"That's fine. Palmer can work alone now."

"Alright. Well, I'll release Tony in the morning, but Dr Mallard needs to be here so I can explain what he needs to do for Tony to stay healthy, and so I can give him the medication."

"I'll let him know."

"And, Gibbs?"

"Yeah?"

"As soon as it's safe to bring Tony out of hiding, you are to bring him straight here. I want to do a thorough exam, maybe even re-admit him for observation. I trust Dr Mallard, but I still need to be absolutely sure."

"That's easy. I'll hopefully have him back here in a couple of days. Once we figure out who sold Tony out and we arrest them, he'll be safe again."

"What about the other hospital staff?"

"Is it possible for Emma to be the only nurse caring for Tony?"

"For today, yes. But she's not here tonight."

"Do you know who the night staff are?"

"Yes," said Emma. "Amanda is probably the best candidate. I can fill her in when she arrives. Tony will be safe under her care."

"Do that then, please." Gibbs sighed. "If I can't get Tony back here in a couple of days, Brad, would you be willing to come out to the safehouse?"

"Of course."

* * *

"Sister Rosita? When I get out of here, do you think I could come and watch you bowl?" Tony asked.

"Of course, Tony. We are always happy to have an audience. It would be lovely to spend time with you again," Sister Rosita said with a big smile.

"Thank you."

"Tony, sorry to cut your visit short," said Gibbs, "but you and I need to talk about something."

"Hey, boss. When can I go home?"

"Not for a few days at least."

"What's wrong?"

"Tony, I don't think this is something to discuss in front of anyone."

"Sister Rosita and Abbs can stay. I don't mind them hearing anything."

Gibbs hesitated, but he could tell he was fighting a losing battle. "Alright. We have decided that we are going to make it known that you are 'dead'. It's for your own safety, and I'm not taking no for an answer."

"Boss?"

"No. We will fix it once we arrest the person responsible for this whole mess. Until then, you will be in a safehouse."

"Absolutely not..."

"You have a choice about where you stay: my house or a safehouse. Ducky will be with you at all times to make sure you don't get sick, and to administer your medication."

"I can take my own medication."

"Not with a syringe, you can't. It has to be injected straight into your bloodstream."

"I don't want to hide, Gibbs."

"I don't care. If it keeps you safe, then you will do it. I made you a promise yesterday- I said I wasn't going to leave you again. Now it's your turn to make a promise to me."

"Fine."

"Promise you won't do anything stupid to get yourself hurt."

"Why would I do something stupid?" Tony sighed. "Alright. I promise to be careful. How long do I need to hide for?"

"A couple of days. Hopefully no more than that."

Reluctantly, Tony nodded. He sighed again as he settled back into his pillows and pulled Bert closer.


	15. Chapter 15

Friday morning was rainy and cold. Tony was miserable. He didn't want to hide, even if it was best for him right then. He just wanted to go back home to his apartment.

"Tony? Are you alright?" Brad asked as he and Ducky entered the room.

"No." Tony sighed. "Can't you tell Gibbs that I have to stay here still?"

"Since when do you want to be in hospital?"

"I don't want to be here, but I don't want to hide either. It sucks."

"I know it sucks, Tony. But, I'd rather you hide for a couple of days than run the risk of you being killed. Dr Mallard will be with you the whole time, so you won't be alone. Abby has said that you can take that hippo with you, and she dropped off some more clothing for you to take along. Agent McGee added some DVDs to the bag and Ziva put some books in."

"Do you promise it's only a couple of days?"

"Yes. If it's any longer, Emma and I will come and join you."

Tony nodded sadly. "How long do I need to take the medication for?"

"Just while you're in hiding. If you aren't unwell in the next couple of days, we'll stop the medication. The danger will have passed by then."

"Okay. Does it have to be through needles?"

"Sorry, yes."

Tony frowned. "I hate needles."

"Believe me, I know you do. That's why Dr Mallard is taking over for me," said Brad with a wide grin. "I'm not stupid."

Tony laughed a little. "Brad? When I get out of hiding, do I need to come back here?"

"Just overnight for observation. Maybe not even that. We'll see how you go."

"Alright." Tony waited until Brad had taken him off the monitors and the IV, then climbed off the bed.

"Tony, make sure you rest while you have the chance, okay?"

"Okay."

"Good. Now, I have already explained to Dr Mallard how to go about giving you the injections. You will need them three times a day, and you will need to be monitored for at least an hour after each injection. If you start feeling sick or sore more than normal, you need to tell Dr Mallard immediately. If you need to be in hospital, you will be brought to me, whether you are still in hiding or not. Okay?"

Tony nodded, but he couldn't meet Brad's eyes. He knew that he was going to cry if he had to hear the word 'hide' one more time, and he didn't want to.

* * *

Tony climbed out of Ducky's car at the safehouse Jenny had organised for him. It was a lovely house- single story with a large backyard- but it wasn't home, and never would be. He was still miserable, a feeling that wasn't going to leave him anytime soon.

"Anthony, come and sit down," said Ducky once they were inside the house.

"I'm fine, Ducky," said Tony. He sighed as he slowly walked around the house, looking into every room he passed. He spotted a nice sized bedroom that he thought he could be comfortable in, and, upon stepping inside it, he discovered that it was not the master bedroom, but still had a walk in closet and an ensuite bathroom. "Hey, Ducky, come and check this out!" he called, finally feeling slightly happy.

Ducky stepped into the room and smiled. "I see you have chosen your room, Anthony," he stated as he watched Tony unpack his overnight bag.

"It's not the master bedroom. You can have that."

"Thank you, my dear boy."

Tony smiled at his friend as he finished unpacking and putting away his clothes and belongings. "I'm going to keep looking around."

Ducky nodded. He stepped out of the room to unpack his own belongings while Tony kept walking.

"Oh my god!" Tony exclaimed a minute later. "Ducky, you have to see this!"

"What have you found, Anthony?"

"It's a theatre room! It has a DVD player and loads of stuff to do! There's even the same seats you get in a theatre!"

Ducky chuckled when Tony turned to him, his smile bright and genuine. He looked happy now that he had found a way to do what he loved.

"Am I ever going to be able to get you out of this room?" Ducky asked.

"Maybe just to eat and sleep." Tony grinned. "I'm kidding. I love movies, but even I can't spend all day watching them."

"What a relief," joked Ducky as he watched Tony get comfortable in one of the seats.

"Come and watch a movie with me," Tony said, patting the seat next to him.

"Maybe a little later. I'm going to finish unpacking and get some lunch ready. You need to eat before I give you the medication."

Tony nodded. He put in a DVD and started it, pausing the movie before it could get anywhere. Then he followed Ducky out to the kitchen.

* * *

Ducky was relieved that Tony was feeling less upset now that he had had a chance to look around and had discovered the theatre room. He knew that Tony felt better immediately upon finding a place to watch DVDs as much as he wanted without having to bother anybody. It would be the perfect place to administer his medication too- since he needed monitoring after each injection, Ducky would be able to watch the movie and keep Tony company while still watching Tony for any signs that he was having a reaction to the medication.

"Anthony, lunch is ready," said Ducky. "Come and have a seat."

"You know that I can make lunch too? And dinner?" asked Tony as he sat across from Ducky at the dining table to eat the sandwiches his friend had made.

"You can make dinner if you are feeling well enough."

Tony smiled. "I am going to make you lasagna, Duck. You'll love it, I promise."

"I have no doubt, Anthony." Ducky smiled kindly as he watched Tony eat the last of his sandwiches.

"These are really great, Ducky." Tony swallowed the last bite and drank water. "Actually, these are amazing!"

"They're just sandwiches, Tony."

"So? I have to say, I have never had a sandwich like this before."

"Spicy capsicum dip does tend to make things taste much better."

"Is that what the difference is? It's really good. We should totally have these again."

"Maybe tomorrow. I am looking forward to that lasagna tonight."

Tony smiled as he put his dishes in the sink and washed them. "Is it time for you to do the needle?" he asked when he and Ducky were both finished eating.

"You can have a few minutes to digest first. I'll prepare the medication and bring it in with some more water to the theatre room. I believe you have a movie waiting for you?"

Tony nodded. He disappeared before Ducky could change his mind, and Ducky went through to the living room where he had left the medication from Brad.


	16. Chapter 16

Tony had just started his movie when Ducky entered the theatre room. He looked up quickly and smiled, then turned back to what he was watching.

"Okay, Anthony, time for your medication," said Ducky. "Pause the movie please."

Reluctantly, Tony paused the movie and looked at Ducky. "What do I have to do?"

"You can relax for me. All I'm going to do is inject the medication into your arm. I'll watch you for a while, but you'll be able to continue watching your movie once the injection is done."

"Is it going to hurt?"

"No more than usual. I'll try to be gentle as much as I can."

Tony nodded. "Which arm do you want?"

"Your left arm. The IV Dr Pitt had you on was in your right arm, so we'll give that arm a break."

"Alright." Tony took his jacket off his left arm slowly, maneuvering it around the cast.

"Thank you, Anthony." Ducky gently lifted Tony's arm, being careful not to cause any pain. "I'm going to inject the medicine into your arm through your elbow vein, that way I can do tonight's injection at the top of your arm."

"Isn't the plaster in the way?"

"No. It might be a little uncomfortable, but I'll get you some ice or a heat pack to help if you want it."

"I think I'll be fine without ice or heat." Tony nervously watched as Ducky took the cap off the prepared syringe and cleaned his arm quickly. He closed his eyes tightly while Ducky put the needle into his arm and injected the medication.

"There you go, Tony, I'm done," Ducky said softly after he pulled the needle out of Tony's already sore arm. "You can open your eyes."

Tony did as instructed. He was amazed to find that his arm didn't hurt any more than it already had been, and he gave his friend a smile. "Maybe you can teach Brad how to be gentle with injections?" he joked.

"I am sure your doctor is just fine. You just get nervous, that's all."

"Why do I keep getting scared?"

"Because you have been through a lot, Anthony. Fear is normal after everything you have been through."

"I need to get past that fear. It's not like I can get out of getting injections or needles for the rest of my life."

"You will get past it. Just let yourself feel safe with the person doing the injection and you'll see how much easier it will be for you." Ducky smiled and helped Tony put his arm back through his jacket sleeve. "Now, continue watching your movie. I'll be right here with you if you need anything."

"Thanks Duck." Tony got comfortable in his chair. "Have you see this movie before?"

"I don't believe so. What is it called?"

"Live and Let Die. James Bond."

"Uh, no, I haven't seen it. I don't recall ever watching a James Bond film, despite them being classics."

Tony looked shocked. "Ducky!" he gasped. "We are going to fix that issue. While you and I are stuck here, we are going to have a James Bond marathon."

Ducky smiled. "I think that is a splendid idea."

Tony watched Ducky settle himself into his seat. A look of wonder crossed his face, which made Tony smile. He settled back into his own chair and returned his attention to the movie, a sudden calmness taking hold.

* * *

By the time the movie was finished, Tony was falling asleep. He was enjoying Ducky's company, and he loved James Bond movies, but he was still tired and wanted nothing more than to get some rest.

"Anthony, would you still like to make dinner?" Ducky asked, seeing that Tony's eyes were half shut.

Tony yawned and nodded. "Lasagna."

"You may want to get started. It's almost five pm, and I do believe making lasagna takes time."

Tony nodded again. He stood up and made his way to the kitchen with Ducky right behind him. He quickly grabbed the ingredients he needed to make the sauce and handed them to Ducky, instructing him to chop them up. Then he started preparing the eggs and lasagna sheets. Almost ten minutes passed in silence as both men worked, then Tony smiled.

"Thanks Ducky," said Tony happily as he put the sauce on the stove to cook.

"I think that we should make pizza tomorrow," said Ducky. "What do you think?"

"That sounds really nice."

"Good. We're making it my way."

"How do you make it?" Tony asked curiously.

"I cheat. Instead of using dough, I put the sauce, cheese and toppings onto pita bread and cook it on a grill."

Tony grinned. "I've never tried that. I usually make the dough. Does it taste like pizza?"

"Yes. It's like a thin crust pizza."

Tony could feel excitement bubbling up inside him. "We totally have to have pizza for dinner tomorrow," he said as he took the sauce off the stove and started putting the lasagna together.

* * *

Ducky smiled as he watched Tony. He could see that the young man was tired and still a little weak from the drugs that had almost killed him the previous day, so he took the lasagna tray and put it into the oven for him.

"We will definitely do pizza for dinner tomorrow. And I'll make those sandwiches for lunch again, since you seemed to really like them."

Tony nodded. "I can make breakfast. I'm really good at making pancakes, and I can make some eggs and bacon too."

"I think that sounds just wonderful," said Ducky. "We are going to have a lovely time here, I just know it."

Tony laughed. "Duck, when do I have the next injection?"

"I think we can do it around seven tonight. Why?"

"Just wondering if I can watch another movie before it."

"I don't know if a movie is the best idea. You are quite tired. Maybe we can just see what's on TV instead."

Tony nodded with a smile. "Sure, that's a good idea. That way I don't miss anything when I go to bed."

Ducky chuckled as he finally got the lasagna out of the oven a few minutes later and put it onto the stove. "This smells delicious, Anthony. I do believe you have created something delightful here."

"Thank you."

Ducky dished out the food and they sat at the table in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.


	17. Chapter 17

Seven o'clock came and Tony was starting to fall asleep. There was nothing interesting on the TV, so Ducky had suggested a board game to pass the time.

"Duck, is it time for the medicine now?" Tony asked for the third time in less than half an hour.

Ducky glanced at his watch and nodded. "It certainly is. After I'm done, you can go to sleep. I'll read a book or something in the room for an hour to keep an eye on you."

Tony nodded. He carefully took his jacket off and put it onto the couch, knowing he wouldn't need it until the morning. Then he lifted his sleeve and gladly let Ducky inject the medication into his arm. Only a couple of minutes later, Tony was laying in bed, eyes shut, and falling asleep while Ducky quietly read his book.

* * *

Ducky stood up almost two hours later, having gotten lost in his newest novel. He glanced at Tony, who was fast asleep. Bert was snug under his right arm, a sight that was absolutely adorable, and he was snoring softly. Ducky smiled as he carefully checked Tony's pulse and adjusted the blankets, making sure that they were covering Tony properly. Then he left the room, leaving the door open, and headed to his own room.

Once he was in bed, Ducky pulled out his cell phone and called Gibbs. It had been agreed that they would keep in contact as much as possible, and Ducky wanted to let Gibbs know that Tony was doing very well.

"Hi, Duck," said Gibbs.

"Hello, Jethro."

"Is Tony alright?"

"He is. He's fast asleep. I gave him the two injections that he required today, and he was absolutely fine with both."

"That's a relief. Has he calmed down at all?"

"Very much. I do believe that you should thank the director for the choice in safe houses. She is a smart lady."

"Why?"

"This house has a theatre room, and our dear Anthony is absolutely enamored with it. He convinced me to watch a James Bond movie with him this afternoon."

"Of course he did," chuckled Gibbs.

"He is an amazing cook too."

"I know that. What did he make for you?"

"Lasagna. And he has offered to make pancakes, bacon and eggs in the morning."

"You'll enjoy it, Duck. He makes chocolate pancakes. They are the best pancakes I've ever tasted."

Ducky chuckled. "I am looking forward to it. I had better go, it's getting a little late now. Anthony's first injection tomorrow is around seven am, so I want to be rested before I have to argue with him about it."

"Is he giving you trouble?"

"No. He asked three times in half an hour for the second injection. He wanted to go to bed."

Gibbs laughed softly. "Good. Let me know how tomorrow goes. We might get Tony back to the hospital sooner than we thought- Ziva got a lead on the person responsible for Tony's attack."

"Who was it?" Ducky heard something dropping over the phone. "Is something wrong?"

"McGee dropped his water bottle. I better get going, Duck. I'll talk to you tomorrow and let you know how the lead pans out. And Duck?"

"Yes?"

"Give Tony a hug from me when he wakes up," whispered Gibbs. "Tell him I miss him, and that as soon as we have him back in hospital, I'll be there to spend more time with him."

"I will, Jethro." Ducky said goodbye and hung up. He listened for a couple of minutes, then closed his eyes and fell asleep.

* * *

Gibbs looked up from his phone and found McGee sitting back in his chair.

"Tim, you okay?" Gibbs asked.

"Yeah. I found something, boss. I think it might help Tony."

"What is it?"

"One of the men Tony ID'd is hanging around the city morgue. It looks like the one from the hospital this morning."

"Where is he now?"

"It looks like he hasn't moved. We could be there in ten minutes."

"Let's go. Ziva, stay here with Abby and make sure nothing happens to her. I want as much information as possible on Major Raimey when I get back, because if he's the cause of Tony's injuries, I'll be causing so much trouble for him."

"Of course, Gibbs," said Ziva. "I will help you, yes?"

"No. If I get into trouble, I won't be dragging anyone with me." Gibbs smiled. "You can help by being a friend for Tony, alright?"

"Okay. I will protect Tony."

* * *

Unsurprisingly, when Gibbs and McGee arrived at the city morgue, it was to find a man arguing with the poor coroner about needing to see Tony's body for himself. The coroner was telling the man that there was no body named Tony DiNozzo in the city morgue and that he would have to try somewhere else.

"Excuse me, is there a problem here?" Gibbs asked.

"Agent Gibbs, thank god you're here. This man is looking for Agent DiNozzo, but he isn't here. Can you please deal with him?" asked the coroner.

"Of course. Kieran Thomas, you are under arrest for the murder of Anthony DiNozzo Junior. You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you." Gibbs quickly cuffed the man. "Let's go."

"I didn't kill anyone. You must be mistaken..." The man, Kieran, exclaimed.

"We aren't mistaken," said McGee. "We have enough evidence to charge you without an interrogation. You were caught on camera, Mr Thomas."


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait, but here is the next chapter. Enjoy!**

* * *

Tony woke up the next morning with a good feeling. Something had happened overnight, he was sure of it. He really hoped that it would allow him to go back to Brad's care, because, as much as he loved the theatre room and loved Ducky's company, he wanted to be free and see his friends again.

"Anthony? Are you awake?" Ducky asked from outside the partially open door.

"Yes," said Tony. "Hey, Ducky?"

"Yes, my dear boy?" Ducky asked as he joined Tony on the bed and pulled out the morning's medication.

"Did something happen overnight?"

"I don't think so. Why?"

"Because I feel like something's changed. It's a good feeling."

"I spoke with Jethro last night. He informed me that Ziva had found a lead and that they were going to check it out. I shall call him again after breakfast and see what happened, if you like."

"I would like that," smiled Tony. "Thank you."

"Anytime, Anthony. Now, we need to get this next injection done so that you can make breakfast."

"Okay. You'll need my right arm this morning, correct?"

Ducky smiled. "I do. I'll inject you at the top of the arm so you have a little longer to rest that arm."

"Thanks, Ducky." Tony readily lifted his sleeve and let Ducky stick the needle in.

* * *

"Okay, Ducky, can you please mix the pancakes and chocolate while I get a pan ready?" Tony asked five minutes later as he slowly managed to retrieve a frying pan from a cupboard.

"Of course, Anthony." Ducky looked up. "Are you sure that you can do that with one hand?"

"I've done it before, Duck." Tony grinned. "What's in that medication?"

"Just the medication. Why?"

"Cause it gives me so much energy."

"That energy is coming from you, Tony. You are healing."

"I like the energy." Tony grinned. "I like it very much!"

Ducky shook his head. "How am I going to get you to calm down?"

"You can't."

"How about we watch a movie together after I speak with Jethro?"

"Okay!" Tony smiled. "I'll stay quiet during the movie, I promise."

* * *

Ducky helped Tony put the last of the dishes away, then stepped into the living room to call Gibbs. He could still see Tony, but he also knew that the younger man was getting a little frustrated by the constant observation, and Ducky wanted to give him some space.

"Hey, Duck, I was just about to call," said Gibbs a minute later. "How's Tony this morning?"

"Energetic. I do believe that he's getting much better. Did your lead help?"

"It did. We arrested the person that tried to kill Tony on Thursday morning. And he quickly gave up the person that put him up to it. The mafia isn't behind this; they're just a means to an end, really. I've called Brad to tell him that we'll be bringing Tony in before lunch."

"Tony will be very happy about that."

"It means he'll need to stay in hospital until tomorrow morning, Duck."

"I know. Like I said, he'll be happy about that. He's getting a little frustrated at the constant observing I'm doing, and I can't blame the poor thing. At least, in a hospital, he's got some privacy. And he'll have his friends back too."

"Do you think you could get him to pack up now so that he's at Bethesda by twelve?"

"I certainly can. Make sure you get the person responsible."

"On our way right now. Somehow, I really think Tony's going to be angry about it when he finds out though."

"He will be okay if you are by his side, Jethro. He misses you, even if he won't admit it." Ducky sighed. "We shall see you soon. Make sure that you come to the hospital before the end of the day."

"Hey, Ducky?" Tony called from the kitchen. "I need some help."

"I'm coming, Anthony." Ducky smiled as he stepped into the kitchen to find Tony attempting to prepare ingredients for their pizza. "I have some good news for you."

"The only good news I want is that I can get out of this house."

"You will be much happier, then. Jethro arrested the man that tried to kill you on Thursday, and he has found the person responsible for all of this. You are no longer needing to stay hidden."

"Good." Tony frowned. "What about our pizzas?"

"We can make them now and then eat them for dinner. And we can make the sandwiches too."

"Will you stay for dinner with me?"

"Of course. Although, that will be in the hospital."

"Okay. Brad and Emma can have dinner too."

Ducky laughed. "That sounds wonderful, dear boy. Maybe we can have a little party? Abigail, Ziva and Timothy could join us."

Tony grinned. "You have the best ideas, Duck. I love you."

"Yes, well, how about we get this food sorted before you decide that it's a good idea? We need to pack up so we can leave in an hour. Dr Pitt will be waiting for us at lunch."

Tony nodded eagerly. "There's not much I can do here, so I'm going to go pack up. I'll be back in a bit."

"Don't forget your movies, Anthony."

"Never, Ducky! They are my most prized possessions!" Tony laughed. "Do you want some help packing?"

"I didn't really unpack all that much. It will take me only a couple of minutes after I finish up in here. Go and take your time. I'll let you know when it's time to leave."


	19. Chapter 19

The drive back to Bethesda wasn't as long as the original trip, mainly because Tony was feeling better and didn't constantly feel the need to stop for air. He was happier, too, which made life easier on everyone.

"Ducky, can you tell me one of your stories?" Tony asked as they got onto the highway.

"Of course, Anthony." Ducky smiled. "Ten years ago, I was in a remarkably similar situation as this. I was driving along a highway..."

* * *

Gibbs was relieved when he, Ziva and McGee stepped into Baltimore PD. Major Raimey was right ahead of them, which made finding him a lot easier. None of them were interested in trouble- they hadn't slept yet. Each of them wanted to bring Tony out of hiding and put him back into the hospital, where he was able to get the care he needed, so they had worked all night to figure out who had put Tony in so much danger.

"Major Raimey! Wait!" Gibbs called. "We need to talk."

"Agent Gibbs. Here to take another of my detectives?" Raimey asked with a grin.

"No. One of them is plenty for me."

"You know, when you took DiNozzo from me, you promised that you would keep him out of harm's way. How could you let him get killed?" All traces of happiness were gone from the captain's voice.

"You know what? Tony's not actually dead," said Gibbs. "We faked it to keep him out of further harm."

"Why?"

"You mean you don't know? Come on, Major, you know exactly what we're talking about. After all, you put Tony into that danger." Gibbs looked around at the curious detectives that were listening to them. "You sent the Baltimore Mafia after a federal agent and he almost died because of it. You almost cost me the best damn agent I've ever worked with. You don't think that we'd let you get away with that, do you?"

"Are you crazy?" Raimey asked. "Why the hell would I try to kill the detective that I actually wanted?"

"You never wanted Tony. You pretended you did, but you never cared. If you had cared, you wouldn't have let me steal him away. You would have fought tooth and nail to keep him in your unit. You used him, and now that you don't need him anymore, you wanted to kill him!" Gibbs shook his head. "You picked the wrong person to do your dirty work- he gave you up in five minutes. You're under arrest for the attempted murder of a federal agent. McGee, cuff him and get him out my sight."

* * *

Tony had enjoyed Ducky's story, but he was starting to get tired. His energy was slowly dissipating, and he knew he had overdone it that morning. He was suddenly feeling very glad that he had to be in the hospital still- it meant that he could sleep as much as he wanted without having to go to work.

"Tony, are you alright?" Ducky asked as he pulled into a parking spot outside the emergency room.

"Just tired. I think I've used up my energy, Duck."

"Well, it's a good thing that we're here now. Dr Pitt is waiting to take you upstairs. Maybe, after you get a check-up, we'll have some lunch, and then you can go to sleep for a while."

"I like that idea," said Tony with a yawn. "I can't wait to eat those sandwiches again."

"I noticed. You've been eyeing the bag for the past ten minutes. Are you hungry?"

"A little," admitted Tony.

"Well, why don't we have some lunch before you get checked out?"

"Can we?"

"Yes, of course we can. I'm sure that Dr Pitt will be very happy to let you eat first."

Tony smiled. "Thanks, Ducky."

* * *

"Hi, Tony," said Brad happily. "I'm glad to see that you have more energy than you did yesterday morning."

"I'm hungry. Ducky made these really amazing sandwiches that I want to eat," said Tony.

"Okay. It's lunch time anyway. Eat first, and then we can get you checked out. Would you prefer if we continue giving you the medication through injections, or do you want me to put you back onto the IV?"

"Injections are okay. And it's only until the end of today. Right?"

"Yes. We'll get your last two injections done before I leave tonight. I'll probably let you go home in the morning." Brad looked at Ducky. "Dr Mallard, Tony hasn't had any adverse reactions at all?"

"No. He's been perfectly fine. He had an early night last night, but he slept right through until about seven this morning."

"Good. Tony, did you find a way to occupy yourself?"

"The house had a theatre room!"

"Of course it did. Did you enjoy it? That's a stupid question- of course you enjoyed it." Brad smiled. "How about we get you inside and get this injection over with so you can eat, then rest?"

"I like that idea, Brad." Tony smiled at the doctor. He let Brad support him as they headed into the hospital together.

* * *

"Are you done, Tony?" Brad asked a little later as he entered Tony's hospital room.

"Yes," answered Tony. "Can you check me so I can sleep?"

"Sure, bud." Brad smiled kindly as he gently checked Tony over. He carefully prodded Tony's broken arm and wrist. "Everything is looking good. Get some rest, Tony."

"Thank you, Brad." Tony smiled, then quickly shut his eyes and fell asleep.


	20. Chapter 20

When Tony woke up next, it was to find Gibbs sitting on the couch in his room. Staying quiet, Tony observed his boss for a few minutes- Gibbs was reading a case file that had him annoyed. The glare that was fixed on Gibbs' face made Tony want to laugh.

"Boss?" Tony finally asked.

"Hi, buddy. Did you get a good sleep?" Gibbs asked as he put the file down and stepped up to the bed.

"Yes." Tony smiled. "I missed you."

"I missed you too, pal. Did you get my message from Ducky?"

Tony nodded. "He told me that you were going to be here more. Are you?"

"I am. We've closed the case, so I'm taking some time out to be here."

"Ducky said you found the person that's responsible for all of this. Who was it?"

Gibbs hesitated. "I'm not sure that you should know right now. You need to heal first."

"I'm okay. Tell me."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Okay... We arrested Major Frank Raimey..."

"What?!" Tony pulled himself into an upright position. "Why?!"

"He used the mafia to kill you, Tony. He no longer needed you, so he wanted to get rid of you."

"But I didn't do anything to him."

"I know that, buddy. This isn't your fault."

"What was he using me for?"

"As far as I can tell, he was using you as the 'bad guy' of his unit. He wanted to discourage his detectives from leaving like you did."

"There's nothing wrong with leaving for another job."

"I agree. Try telling him that."

Tony smiled a little. "Thank you, Gibbs."

"What for?"

"Coming home to find me."

"I shouldn't have had to come back for that, Tony. The whole agency should have been looking for you. I don't know what happened with that..."

"They hate me, Gibbs."

"I doubt that."

"They hate me. Ever since you left me in charge, people have been rude to me. They think I drove you out of NCIS."

"That's ridiculous."

"Not to them, it isn't. I've even argued with Ziva about this. That's why Abby and I have been so close- she's the only person, besides Palmer, that I haven't had to justify myself to."

Gibbs sighed. "I'll fix that up, Tony. I'm not leaving again. If you want to stay as team leader..."

"Hell no! I didn't want that job, but I took it because you gave it to me. I want to go back to my job."

"Alright. If you really want to be the senior agent, then I'll put you back there."

"I really want that."

"I'll fix it up then."

"Gibbs?"

"Yes?"

"If you ever decide to leave again, please tell me first. I want to have a choice in my job role."

"Of course."

"Thank you."

* * *

Tony felt his stomach growling as Brad got his medication ready that evening.

"Brad..."

"I'm almost done, Tony. Dr Mallard is warming up the pizzas right now," said Brad, knowing exactly what Tony wanted.

"Thank you." Tony grinned. "You can read my mind."

"No. I can hear your stomach, actually," Brad laughed.

"Is this the last of the medication?"

"Yes. I'll probably let you go home tomorrow morning, as long as you listen to me tonight."

"I'm a good listener."

"I know you are, when you want to be."

"I promise to listen. I want to sleep in my own bed already."

"I know you do, Tony. So, tell me, how was this safe house you went to?"

"It was nice. It had a theatre room."

"Of course it did. Did you use it?"

"Yesterday, I did. Ducky and I watched a James Bond movie."

"How did you manage to get Dr Mallard to watch with you?"

"He did the first of the injections after lunch, while I was watching. He chose to stay and watch the movie with me. I didn't have to do anything to convince him."

"That is certainly true," said Ducky as he walked in with a tray of pizza. "I watched the movie while I watched over Anthony, but I actually didn't mind the movie. It was good."

"Haven't you watched James Bond before?" asked Brad.

"No. It never really interested me. I'm not sure why, now that I've watched one."

"You'll have to watch more of them. Maybe Tony will let you borrow the movies."

"He can come over whenever he wants to, Brad," said Tony with a smile. "Ducky is always welcome in my apartment."

"It seems like everyone is welcome in your apartment, Tony."

"As long as I like them, of course they are." Tony grinned. "Besides, my friends are on the way here now for dinner. Are you going to join us, Brad?"

"After I go and check on my other patients, Tony. Enjoy your dinner."

Tony smiled a moment later as his room filled up with his favourite group of people. He made room on his bed for Abby to join him, and was quickly joined by Ziva too.

"I am your ninja assassin, Tony," said Ziva before he could ask what she was doing. "I will sit with you as well."

Tony laughed. "That's fine by me, Ziva."

 **The End**


End file.
